Several state chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected the Rainbow Coalition being promoted by Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The APC leaders called on Wike, who remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to formally join the ruling party if he intends to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The development follows growing disagreement between Wike and some APC governors over his political activities ahead of the elections. Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal said the minister should make a clear choice between remaining in the PDP and joining the APC.
Lawal stated that he planned to discuss Wike’s position directly with President Tinubu, stressing that the minister could not operate on both sides of the political divide.
Similarly, APC leaders in Anambra, Kwara and Ondo criticised Wike’s coalition, arguing that the party already had structures capable of mobilising support for its candidates.
The Kwara APC chairman, Sunday Fagbemi, questioned how voters could be expected to support one party for the presidency and another party for legislative positions when the elections are conducted on the same day.
The Ondo APC secretary, Alex Kalejaiye, also maintained that support for the ruling party should extend to all its candidates, from the presidential level to the state assembly.
However, the position of APC members has not been uniform across the country. Party officials in Jigawa welcomed Wike’s support for Tinubu and said they would be open to receiving him if he decided to join the APC. Some party figures in Benue similarly acknowledged his contribution while urging him to formalise his membership.
Meanwhile, APC chapters in Osun and Delta reportedly said the matter should be left to the national leadership of the party.
Wike has maintained that his Rainbow Coalition is primarily focused on the 2027 presidential election and does not prevent participating political parties from fielding candidates for governorship and legislative positions.
The latest disagreement adds to an ongoing dispute between Wike and some APC governors over the role of his coalition in the 2027 elections.
