The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, in a swift response to the concern raised by the Progressive Governors’ Forum said that his rainbow coalition that is already gaining recognition across different states would not create any confusion.
Recall that the APC Governors under the umbrella of the Progressive Governors’ Forum had on Monday night, after their closed door meeting in Abuja, under the leadership of Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, accused Wike of breeding confusion that will affect Tinubu’s electoral gains during the 2027 presidential election with his cross-party alliance, named rainbow coalition.
Wike’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka on Tuesday stated that the allegations of the APC Governors were misplaced, as the Minister has never hidden his agenda of ensuring victory for President Bola Tinubu at the 2027 polls.
He also noted that the Minister from the onset also made it clear that the Rainbow Coalition was designed to achieve what his G5 Governors’ alliance achieved in 2023 by working for the victory of Tinubu in their various states.
In a statement the spokesperson signed, ” Wike pointed out that he never met with the All Progressives Congress (APC) before himself and other members of the G5 supported the President in 2023, and that for 2027, his support is for the president only.
” The Minister said politics is no longer about coming from fourth position to be governor, it is about genuinely mobilising support and winning elections from the polling units.
He also asked; “In Imo State under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President and APC had less than 15 percent in the presidential election? Was it rainbow coalition? Were the voters confused?
“Was it rainbow coalition that also made APC to win National Assembly elections in Ebonyi, Abia and Enugu States where the President did not have ten percent of the votes?
“If in 2023, the voters in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi voted APC in the Senatorial election and voted another party in the presidential election, they won’t be confused in 2027 provided we all support the president genuinely this time?
” The Minister urged all stakeholders to put the presidential election first, saying; “after the President must have been reelected, we can all go and face elections in our States.”
“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections.
“Most importantly, rainbow coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is own way of mobilising support accross political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he said.