The All Progressives Congress (APC) governors have drawn a battle line against the political alliance being championed by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, declaring that no arrangement outside the party’s official structure will receive their support ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The governors’ declaration, issued after a closed-door meeting in Abuja on Monday, September 14, puts Wike’s proposed “Rainbow Coalition” on a collision course with the ruling party’s electoral leadership.
Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with strong political ties to the APC-led Federal Government, has been promoting a coalition in Rivers State involving political actors from both parties. The arrangement is expected to pursue shared political interests ahead of the 2027 elections.
But the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) has rejected any political arrangement capable of weakening APC candidates or creating divided loyalty within the party.
Chairman of the Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, announced the governors’ position while reading the communique issued after the meeting.
He said the governors unanimously resolved not to participate in, support or endorse any political alliance capable of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, weakening the APC or adversely affecting its candidates at any level.
“The Forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate, support or endorse any political alliance or arrangement capable of undermining the re-election of Mr President, weakening the APC or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels,” Uzodinma declared.
The Imo governor made it clear that the APC governors would not campaign for candidates outside the party’s platform, regardless of any political understanding involving the APC.
“In other words, the Forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate, because our candidates are being sponsored by our party,” he said.
He added that the governors’ campaign commitment remained exclusively with APC candidates, warning that no arrangement capable of causing confusion, divided loyalty or conflicting interests within the party would be entertained.
“The governors’ campaign commitment is exclusively to all APC candidates. No arrangement that causes confusion, divided loyalty, or conflicting interest within the party will be entertained,” Uzodinma said.
The declaration is a direct warning to political actors seeking to combine the structures or interests of the APC and PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
In Rivers State, where Wike remains a powerful political figure, the governors’ position could complicate efforts to build a coalition that secures support across the two parties.
The PGF’s position also reinforces the APC’s determination to protect its candidates and electoral interests, leaving no room for political arrangements that could compromise the party’s campaign objectives.
