Some governors of Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have initiated discussions on a possible alliance with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as internal party tensions escalate ahead of the 2027 general elections. The development was disclosed by Yusuf Musa, an APC chieftain and promoter of the Tinubu Continuity Project, in a statement shared on Wednesday.
Governors React to Wike's Rainbow Coalition
Musa, who also serves as a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and is a former board member of the News Agency of Nigeria, said the governors are not planning to leave the APC. Instead, they are exploring the alliance as a direct response to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike's Rainbow Coalition, which they believe threatens their political future.
According to Musa, the aggrieved governors argue that if Wike can mobilise politicians from different parties against their interests while simultaneously supporting President Bola Tinubu at the presidential level, they too should be free to explore alternative political relationships. He warned that the governors could push the alliance further if President Tinubu and the APC leadership fail to intervene and resolve the dispute.
"If President Tinubu and the APC leadership cannot rein in Wike, then what stops the governors whose political future is being threatened from building alternative political relationships outside the ruling party," Musa said.
Wike's Coalition Sparks Fears Among APC Governors
Musa's remarks echoed warnings he made on TVC's Breakfast Show on Monday, where he stated that Wike's refusal to back down could ignite a serious crisis within the APC. "If he doesn't retrace his steps and allow us to campaign in peace, we are going to make this country very hot for him," he told the programme.
Wike, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain serving in the APC-led federal government, has faced strong opposition from APC governors over the Rainbow Coalition, which he says is designed to mobilise support for President Tinubu's re-election. The coalition began in Rivers State and has since spread across the country. However, the APC Governors Forum, chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, formally rejected it, saying it could weaken the party and its candidates in the 2027 elections.
Musa said the governors were particularly troubled by Wike's claim that President Tinubu had ceded nine states to his coalition for governorship and legislative elections. He cautioned against dismissing such claims as mere political bragging, stating, "Such claims may appear as mere political bragging, but no one should dismiss them as cheap talk because, in politics, you can't take anything for granted, especially when it concerns elections."
Implications for APC and 2027 Elections
Wike has denied that any states were ceded to him, though he maintains that the president is aware of the coalition and its goals. Musa argued that Tinubu, who will not be seeking another term after 2027, would lose little by accommodating the arrangement, which is why the governors could not afford to ignore the threat.
Musa also predicted that politicians who win elections under the coalition's umbrella could later defect to the APC. He cited the recent movements of governors in Bayelsa, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Taraba, Enugu, Adamawa, Kano and Rivers states as evidence that such political realignments are common in Nigerian politics.
When contacted, Paul Ibe, Atiku's spokesperson, declined to comment on the reported alliance discussions. The outcome of these talks remains uncertain, but the growing rift between Wike and APC governors could significantly shape the political landscape leading into the 2027 elections.
