Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Grassroots Organisation has warned that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, must not be allowed to destroy the APC the same way he destroyed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The face-off between Wike and some APC governors over his decision to back PDP candidates against the APC candidates in some states has put some of the governors in an uncomfortable situation.
However, the group, in a statement issued Sunday by its Chairman, Mukhtar Rabiu, warned that Wike might unwittingly derail the President Bola Tinubu’s re-election with the introduction of his controversial Rainbow Coalition into the campaign mix.
The group noted: “Just as he did with the PDP in the past, using lackeys from Kano and Edo States, the same script is being played all over again; this time in the APC.
“Although the APC governors refused to be so polarised, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by the National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, has curiously kept mute whilst a member of an opposition party has intensified his quest to destroy a major organ of the APC – the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF).”
The group, therefore, cautioned Wike that he should not use his lame support for the president’s 2027 re-election bid to undermine existing structures and interests of the ruling party.
It argued that Wike’s PDP G-5 alliance constituted an indispensable electoral machine for Tinubu in 2023, citing the presidential results in the five states associated with the alliance.
The group recalled that three members of the then G5— Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Samuel Ortom of Benue—lost their senatorial elections in 2023.
It added: “It is instructive to note that the only one among the now defunct G-5 that won elections democratically in the 2023 race, was the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who broke ranks with Wike.
“In fact, Ikpeazu, Ortom and Ugwuanyi were reputed to have lost their polling units, wards and local governments. Even Wike, allegedly lost his local government and Rivers State before the presentation of the controversial and highly disputed Rivers State presidential election result.
“Where then, is his self acclaimed street credibility besides dishing insults and making outrageous and wild claims?”
The group maintained that an individual or support group must not be allowed to function as a parallel party structure simply because they support the president.
While welcoming Wike’s support for Tinubu, the organisation warned that his controversial ‘Rainbow Coalition’ should not be treated as an alternative to the APC’s elected governors, candidates and formal structures.
It maintained that Wike’s admission that the coalition is not an APC structure signals a potential conflict of interest, particularly if it creates competing political interests in states where APC governors are expected to campaign for both Tinubu and other APC candidates.
The group added: “Support President Tinubu. But do not expect APC governors to surrender their governors, senators, House members, Assembly candidates or party structures to Wike’s faction of the PDP.”
The group emphasised that the ruling party already has an extensive network of governors, controlling 31 out of the 36 states around which Tinubu’s campaign could be organised.
It further cited how Wike pleaded with the APC leadership to field his preferred candidate, Kingsley Chinda as APC’s 2027 governorship candidate in Rivers State.
“Why did Wike not field Chinda as PDP candidate if truly he had any faith in his so-called Rainbow Coalition?” it queried.