APC stakeholders vow to resist Wike’s Rainbow coalition
The All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders have warned that they will resist any attempt by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to destroy the ruling party as he did to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The stakeholders, under the auspices of APC Grassroots Organisation, further accused Wike of polarising PDP governors, bringing down the party leadership and attacking major PDP organs, leading to the destruction of the opposition party.
“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,” the stakeholders noted.
The stakeholders also cautioned Wike not to use his lame support for the President’s 2027 re-election bid to undermine existing structures and interests of the ruling party.
The statement, signed by the chairman of the APC association, Mukhtar Tanimu Rabiu, further warned that Wike might unwittingly derail the President’s re-election with the introduction of his controversial Rainbow Coalition into the campaign mix.
They dismissed the claims that the minister’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 stakeholders 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 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?
“An individual or support group must not be allowed to function as a parallel party structure simply because they support the President,” the statement read.
While welcoming Wike’s support for Tinubu, the organisation cautioned that his controversial “Rainbow Coalition” should not be treated as an alternative to the APC’s elected governors, candidates and formal structures.
According to them, “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.”
“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.”
Their reaction came amid growing disagreement between Wike and APC governors over the coalition, with the APC governors recently saying their members would not support any political arrangement capable of weakening the APC or adversely affecting its candidates.
The organisation also pointed to the APC’s control of 31 of the 36 states, arguing that the party already has an extensive network of governors and state structures around which Tinubu’s campaign can 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?
