2027: APC Chieftain Rejects Wike’s ‘Lazy, 419’ Remarks Against Governors

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Farouk Aliyu, has rejected the description of some APC governors as “lazy” and “419” by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Aliyu, a former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday while reacting to the ongoing disagreement between Wike and the APC Governors’ Forum ahead of the 2027 general election.

The dispute followed the decision of APC governors, led by their chairman, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, to reject any political arrangement capable of undermining the party or President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Wike subsequently criticised the governors during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme, describing them as “politically lazy” over their opposition to his proposed Rainbow Coalition.

Reacting, Aliyu said the APC would not tolerate Wike’s description of its governors.

“We in APC reject this name-calling by Wike, calling our governors ‘lazy, 419,’” he said.

Aliyu maintained that Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, could not dictate how the APC should organise its campaigns or conduct its political affairs.

“Wike cannot decide for us how we run our campaigns, and it is totally unacceptable for us to have any coalition in such a way that, vote for Tinubu and another party,” he said.

The APC chieftain said the party was interested in a unified campaign structure in which supporters would vote for Tinubu as well as APC candidates contesting National Assembly and state assembly elections.

He argued that allowing different political parties to support Tinubu while campaigning against APC candidates could weaken the party’s ability to secure sufficient legislative seats to support the president’s administration.

Aliyu, however, acknowledged Wike’s contribution to Tinubu’s emergence in the 2023 presidential election, saying the APC appreciated the support provided by the FCT minister and other members of the then G5 governors.

He said the APC had also benefited from Wike’s political activities but warned that the minister’s current approach could become counterproductive if it continued to clash with the party’s structures.

The disagreement has further heightened political tension between Wike and APC governors as political parties and their various blocs intensify preparations and mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general election.