RismadarVoice Reporters
September 21, 2026
Minister of the Federal
Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said President Bola Tinubu understands the purpose of the Rainbow Coalition, amid disagreement between him and some All Progressives Congress governors over the political arrangement ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike, speaking during a television interview on Monday, maintained that his immediate political objective was to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election while allowing politicians involved in the coalition to pursue their interests in other electoral contests.
He argued that supporting Tinubu at the presidential level should not require politicians outside the APC to abandon their parties or automatically support APC candidates for governorship, National Assembly and state assembly seats.
“All they want me to do is to say, since they are supporting the President, nobody should run for National Assembly, nobody should run for State Assembly, nobody should run for Governorship. Where do you see that happening?” Wike asked.
The former Rivers State governor also accused Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, of opposing the coalition because of what Wike described as Uzodimma’s ambition to become Senate President after leaving office.
Wike’s assertion about Uzodimma’s political ambition was presented as his allegation during the interview.
The FCT minister also rejected reports that Tinubu had promised him control of nine states as part of the Rainbow Coalition arrangement.
“First of all, did they tell you the nine states? No, they didn’t tell me. You see, we owe Nigerians the truth. Tell them the truth. Which are those nine states?” he said.
Wike maintained that the coalition was intended to bring together politicians from different political platforms who support Tinubu’s re-election, rather than operate as an APC structure.
He also rejected suggestions that the arrangement was designed to position him for the 2031 presidential election, saying it was premature to determine political developments beyond 2027.
Wike recalled that he contested the Peoples Democratic Party presidential primary in 2022 and finished second, while insisting that his present focus remained Tinubu’s re-election.
“By the grace of God, I don’t think there’s anything a politician wants today that President Tinubu has not made me achieve. And people should stop talking about ambition, ambition,” he said.
Wike also praised Tinubu’s approach to state police and the devolution of powers and resources to sub-national governments.
“Mr President has taken the bull by the horns and said, state police should be considered,” Wike said.
He further praised what he described as Tinubu’s willingness to allow greater resources and responsibilities to reach states and local governments.
“I have never seen, with all due respect, a man who believes that power should go down, make the rural areas, local governments, state governments have funds to develop,” he said.
The dispute over the Rainbow Coalition centres partly on whether politicians supporting Tinubu through a cross-party arrangement should also be expected to support APC candidates in other elections.
The Progressive Governors’ Forum has opposed political arrangements it says could undermine the APC and its candidates, while Wike has maintained that support for Tinubu does not require coalition members to surrender their separate political interests.
