Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has described governors of the All Progressives Congress as “politically lazy” following their opposition to his Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The governors, led by their chairman and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, had said they would not participate in, support or endorse any alliance that could undermine President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid or affect APC candidates at any level.
But Wike, in an interview on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Tuesday, dismissed the concerns, arguing that his decision to support Tinubu did not mean he had abandoned his political party or agreed that other parties should not field candidates.
He described the governors as politically lazy, telling them not to use the president as an excuse for their local problems.
The minister maintained that the disagreements surrounding his political activities did not start with his decision to support Tinubu, recalling that opposition to him predated that stance, going back to when he served as governor of Rivers State and later as FCT minister. He noted that critics were displeased with his appointment as FCT minister just as they had been unhappy with him during his time as governor.
Wike said his knowledge of the political situation surpassed that of those criticising his activities, suggesting that his critics would understand his position better if they had access to the information available to him.
The former Rivers State governor also insisted that his support for Tinubu remained unchanged, arguing that backing the president was entirely separate from the activities of his political party. He questioned why his continued support for Tinubu should be linked to his party’s conduct.
The minister further cited the political activities of governors such as Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, and Abia State Governor Alex Otti to argue that support for a presidential candidate should not prevent political parties from presenting candidates at other levels. He questioned whether their support for the president meant their respective parties would be barred from fielding other candidates, insisting the argument against his coalition lacked basis.
Wike also recalled the 2023 presidential election, saying his decision to support Tinubu was rooted in his belief that it was the South’s turn to produce the president following the Muhammadu Buhari administration, adding that it would have been unfair for power to return to the North at that time.
Vanguard