The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has reaffirmed his commitment to the Rainbow Coalition, insisting that the political platform will remain in place as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the declaration during a media chat with selected journalists in Abuja, where he defended his decision to support candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) despite being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The minister maintained that his political commitment was to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid and not to any state governor.
“What I’ve said to Nigerians and to Almighty God is, ‘I’m going to support Tinubu for him to realise his second-term ambition.’ I did not promise any governor. And two, let me tell you, no governor can say Wike has come to him for this and this,” he said.
Wike explained that he had supported some APC governors politically, citing Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as an example. He challenged anyone with grievances against him to address the issue directly rather than using the Rainbow Coalition as a basis for criticism.
“Some of the governors there, I supported him, but I gave this example now about Hope \[Uzodimma of Imo State\], so you know that people cannot just come and accuse you. I don’t do that. If you have any problem with me, come out back and face Wike. Don’t go on under the Rainbow Coalition. For the Rainbow Coalition, it has come. It will stay. There’s nothing anybody can do about it,” the minister stated.
His comments come amid growing pressure from some APC governors, who have called on Wike to clarify his political allegiance by either joining the ruling party or remaining firmly within the PDP.
The governors have criticised the Rainbow Coalition, arguing that Wike cannot maintain membership of the opposition PDP while simultaneously mobilising support for the APC.
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal reiterated this position during an interview with _Inside Sources_, insisting that political actors should openly declare their allegiance.
“Our message is very very clear: be on one side. You can’t be on two sides. If you are in APC, please come out and support the APC, not you are supporting APC here, and you are supporting some other political parties somewhere else,” Lawal said.
He added that the governors remained committed to supporting the APC, stressing that their position on party loyalty had not changed.
“We maintain our stand, and the message is very clear. He can speak; he can say whatever he wants to say, but our position has been very clear: APC all the way from head to toe,” he said.
The Rainbow Coalition is a cross-party political platform established to mobilise support for President Tinubu’s anticipated 2027 re-election campaign.
However, Wike has maintained that his support is specifically directed at the president’s second-term ambition, while insisting that the coalition will continue despite criticism from APC governors.
