The All Progressives Congress (APC) is facing internal turmoil as its 31 serving governors have split into opposing factions over the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike. According to a report by Vanguard on Thursday, September 24, a senior party source revealed that the divisions are not absolute, noting that Wike retains friendships with several governors from his time as a state chief executive.
The source stated: "I can tell you that not all the governors are opposed to the minister. Many of them were his friends before now. The minister was a governor too. Even if everyone turns against him, you know that he has the Adamawa governor and some others with him."
Governors Aligned With Wike and Those Against Him
Governors Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom, Monday Okpebholo of Edo, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos, and Ahmed Ododo of Kogi are reported to be sympathetic to Wike's position. On the opposing side, Progressive Governors' Forum (PGF) Chairman and Imo governor Hope Uzodimma, Nigerian Governors' Forum (NGF) Chairman and Kwara governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Kaduna governor Uba Sani, and Ogun governor Dapo Abiodun are firmly against the minister.
A third group of governors remains undecided, reportedly waiting for President Bola Tinubu's return to the country before taking a clear stance in the escalating dispute.
Root of the Conflict: 2027 Election Strategy
The trigger for the split was a closed-door meeting of the PGF in Abuja, chaired by Uzodimma, where it was resolved that APC governors would support only official party candidates in the 2027 elections, refusing to back any candidates fielded by outside alliances. This resolution was a direct challenge to Wike's Rainbow Coalition project, which the governors argued could confuse voters and potentially harm President Tinubu's re-election bid.
Wike, however, rejected the claim that his coalition threatened APC unity. He alleged that the opposition from Uzodimma and AbdulRazaq was driven by personal interests, including what he described as Uzodimma's bid for the Senate Presidency. Wike has also publicly challenged AbdulRazaq over claims that the minister was trying to seize control of Kwara's legislature.
Wike's 2027 Strategy and Defense of 2023 Tactics
Speaking after inspecting several FCT road projects, Wike disclosed that a fresh strategy had been mapped out ahead of the 2027 elections to counter former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress. He also defended the G5 bloc's conduct during the 2023 presidential election, saying the group had deliberately encouraged South-South voters to back Obi in order to cut into Atiku's support base.
"Our strategy was, make sure that you vote for Obi to win in order to deny Atiku the votes," he said. Wike ruled out backing any challenger to Tinubu in 2027, stating: "After supporting President Tinubu in 2023, it will be wrong of me to support another person to face him when he is seeking re-election." He insisted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remained free to contest sub-national elections.
PDP's Support and Wike's Broader Mission
The minister made these remarks when PDP Board of Trustees Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, led a delegation to condole with him over the death of the party's National Vice Chairman, South-South, Dan Orbih. Ohuabunwa said the visit was also meant to encourage Wike to stay the course. "We are here to solidarise with him, encourage him and tell him to remain focused. Because everything he's been saying about the party is nothing but the truth," he said.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Wike said his mission ahead of the 2027 elections is to ensure that opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, remain politically unsettled and under pressure. The FCT minister insisted there is currently no credible, organised opposition in Nigeria, saying internal divisions within the PDP had left the political landscape without a clear frontrunner to challenge President Tinubu.
