Fresh political realignments are reportedly taking shape within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, as some aggrieved governors are said to be exploring contacts with opposition political figures amid growing tensions over the activities of the Rainbow Coalition led by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
The development comes as some APC governors reportedly express concern that the coalition could weaken their political structures by attracting aggrieved party members and politicians who lost out during the party’s primaries.
According to sources familiar with the discussions, some of the governors are considering alternative political alliances, including contacts with former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, as a counterweight to Wike’s growing influence. The reported realignment comes ahead of the 2027 governorship elections, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled for February 6, three weeks after the January 16 presidential and National Assembly elections.
A source close to one of the governors said the concern was not necessarily about President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid but about the possible impact of the Rainbow Coalition on state-level contests.
“The governors are not entertaining any fears that President Bola Tinubu will win re-election,” the source said. The source claimed that Wike had suggested that Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to the coalition in the governorship elections. However, Wike has publicly rejected the allegation. During a recent television interview, the FCT minister challenged those making the claim to identify the nine states allegedly involved, describing the allegation as speculation.
The source nevertheless argued that APC governors could not afford to dismiss the possibility of political arrangements affecting state elections. “President Tinubu will not be seeking another term after 2027, and it would cost him practically nothing to cede some states, as Wike claimed,” the source said. The source further argued that politicians who emerge victorious on opposition platforms could later defect to the APC, citing previous instances involving opposition governors.
Rainbow Coalition Creates Fresh APC Tension
A major point of disagreement is Wike’s political strategy of supporting Tinubu’s presidential re-election while maintaining that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should remain free to field candidates for governorship and legislative elections.
Wike has repeatedly stated that his support for Tinubu does not amount to an agreement for the PDP to abandon its candidates in other elections.
The position has generated concern among some APC governors, who fear that opposition candidates supported by coalition structures could challenge APC candidates in states where the ruling party currently controls the political machinery.
Some of the governors are therefore reportedly considering building relationships with other political blocs, including Atiku’s ADC, to protect their political interests. Recent reports have confirmed that some aggrieved APC governors are already exploring contacts with Atiku amid the widening disagreement over the Rainbow Coalition.
Wike, Uzodimma Clash Deepens The dispute has also been aggravated by Wike’s recent comments concerning the political ambitions of Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma. During a television interview, Wike said he would not support Uzodimma for the position of Senate President, while also arguing that the South-East would not produce either the Senate President or Vice President in the next political cycle.
Wike has previously accused Uzodimma and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of working against the mobilisation efforts of the Rainbow Coalition.
The disagreement has added to concerns among some APC leaders that the coalition could develop into a parallel political structure capable of affecting the fortunes of the ruling party’s candidates.
Analyst Warns of Possible Parliamentary Impact Political analyst Dr Ayeni Ishola warned that the APC and the Presidency would need to manage the growing disagreement carefully.
According to Ishola, continued friction between the coalition and APC governors could affect the ruling party’s performance in parliamentary elections. “You can’t rule out anything in politics. The fear of the APC governors is very genuine and if the situation is not properly handled, the ruling party may live to regret it,” he said.
An APC official who spoke on condition of anonymity, however, said the disagreement would be resolved once the party’s national chairman returns from vacation. The competing political calculations have added another layer of uncertainty to the 2027 electoral landscape, with the presidential and governorship elections set to take place on separate dates.
For now, Wike maintains that the Rainbow Coalition is focused on mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election, while the PDP and other parties remain free to contest the governorship and legislative elections.