Rainbow Coalition: APC Governors Afraid of Wike, Says Odoemena

The Convener of the Igbo Union, Elias Odoemena, has accused governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, of opposing the Rainbow Coalition because they are afraid of the political influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.

Odoemena made the claim while reacting to the ongoing disagreement between Wike and members of the Progressive Governors’ Forum over the political coalition ahead of the 2027 general election.

The APC governors, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, had rejected the Rainbow Coalition, saying they would not support any political arrangement capable of weakening the APC or undermining the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections. (Premium Times Nigeria)

Wike, however, has maintained that the coalition is primarily focused on supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, while allowing members to support candidates of their choice in other elective positions.

Speaking on Arise News, Odoemena questioned why the APC governors were now opposed to Wike after previously benefiting from his political support.

“It is not always good for action to provoke a reaction. There was a time Wike was everywhere. Any governor that came to Abuja, or came into the city, would go and visit Wike, and they were enjoying Wike. All of them were enjoying Wike. He won the election for them,” he said.

Odoemena argued that the governors should focus on their performance in office rather than oppose the coalition.

“But if you are a governor, you have to govern well. When you are ruling your state well, the people will be with you. If we can have a thousand Rainbow Coalition, we will not touch you,” he said.

He stressed that he did not always agree with Wike but said he supported the minister in the current dispute with the APC governors.

“I don’t always support Wike, but in this particular one, I am supporting him,” Odoemena added.

The comments came after the APC Governors’ Forum declared that its members would not participate in or endorse any alliance capable of undermining President Tinubu’s re-election, weakening the APC or adversely affecting any of its candidates. (Premium Times Nigeria)

Wike’s coalition has become a subject of growing political disagreement, with APC governors expressing concern that the platform could support opposition candidates against APC candidates at the state and National Assembly levels while backing Tinubu for president.

The FCT minister has continued to defend the arrangement, insisting that his support for Tinubu does not prevent him from supporting candidates outside the APC in other contests.

The dispute has added to the political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections, with Wike and the APC governors now publicly divided over the scope and implications of the Rainbow Coalition.