The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and former governor of Rivers State, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, has fired back at the APC Governors’ Forum over its rejection of a proposed “rainbow coalition,” declaring that he never approached the forum for any alliance and describing its position as politically lazy and baseless.
Wike made these remarks in an exclusive interview with ARISE NEWS, in reaction to the Progressive Governors Forum’s rejection of his “Rainbow Coalition” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The forum, chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, announced its position on Monday, September 14, 2026, after a closed-door meeting in Abuja, declaring that APC governors would not participate in or support any external political alliance and would back only official APC candidates at all levels.
The governors argued that any support for candidates outside the APC could weaken the party, create divided loyalty and confuse voters at the grassroots.
Wike, however, dismissed the position, insisting that he never approached the APC Governors Forum for an alliance and that his political efforts are focused on securing President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, without preventing parties from fielding candidates for other elective positions.
“There is no day I went to the Governors’ Forum to align with any rainbow coalition—there is no such day. I was already talking about an alliance with a party. I have never, one day, gone to the APC Forum for an alliance.
“I have never sat with the APC Progressive Governors’ Forum; I have not been part of that. Mr. President appointed me to join him to work, and by the grace of God, I am doing the work.”
Wike also described the APC governors as “politically lazy”, arguing that their position on the coalition was baseless and reflected a failure to understand Nigeria’s electoral dynamics.
“When I see the people who held that press conference, they are smart—like the former governors, they are smart. But they are politically lazy, and that is unfortunate. All they said is neither here nor there,” he said.
Wike further challenged the governors’ concerns over candidate selection, citing governors such as Chukwuma Soludo and Ademola Adeleke who support Tinubu while their parties continue to field candidates for legislative elections. He also criticised Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, accusing him of making him the focus of every political disagreement and choosing gossip over governance.
“What is the crisis about candidate selection? Soludo is supporting Mr. President. Does that mean Soludo will not present APGA candidates in the National Assembly election? Adeleke is supporting the President, like he said. Does it mean that his party, the PDP, will not present candidates in the National Assembly election?
“So you can see that the whole thing they are talking about has no basis. What does this show? Take, for example, the Governor of Kwara. I saw him there. It’s unfortunate. Anytime he sees a snake, it’s Wike. Anytime he sees any reptile, it’s Wike. Anything he doesn’t like, it’s Wike. Why? I have never seen people who would choose to spend time on gossip rather than doing the work they have been given.”
Rejecting the argument that his support for Tinubu while backing candidates from other parties amounted to divided loyalty, Wike said his commitment to the President was separate from his party affiliation, insisting that he had never taken any political action without informing Tinubu.
“The point I am making is that I said I was going to support the President, and I supported him. I said I was going to support him for a second term because I have seen that he is committed and dedicated to changing Nigeria. What has that got to do with my party?”
He explained that the controversy was driven by attempts to control the choice of candidates for the 2027 elections, insisting that being a governor did not give anyone absolute political influence. Wike maintained that a governor’s influence should ultimately be measured by the ability to deliver votes for President Tinubu in his state.
“Who told you that the President cannot have candidates? They wanted to give us candidates of their own choice to present at that election. And I said, “What do you mean by this?” I can give you a candidate for me to support, and he can win it. My business is not contesting the election.
“Yes, they are governors, I agree. I agree I was once a governor. They have influence, but influence should count more in your own state as far as election is concerned. At the end of the day, if Mr. President does not win in your state, what would you be talking about? It is only Mr. President that put me in this position. If Mr. President says, ‘Look, we are done,’ I mean, I will give glory. But not because they have influence—what is influence? If a governor has influence, can the President nominate a candidate in your state? You don’t have influence just by being a governor.”
Rejecting the suggestion that the governors’ opposition was linked to a shift in his political relevance, Wike said their attacks had little to do with his relationship with Tinubu, insisting that the President was fully aware of his activities and commitment to the administration.
“First of all, what they are saying against me has little to do with their influence. What they are saying against me has little to do with my relationship with Mr. President. Mr. President knows what I do. He knows what I do—not just for elections, but in terms of performance to ensure that the FCT under this administration is second to none as far as progress is concerned.
“Part of this crisis you are seeing, let me tell you the real issue. You see, when people fail to learn from others, when people just run on empty, they don’t grow. I am a former FCT Minister, I am a former governor. But whatever resources I get, the world sees it. The world sees it! I took two days to commission projects and flyovers. It was the talk of the day. How did this happen? So, you think that people will like you for that? Some people will think, ‘Oh, this man might do something that shows we are not doing anything.’ But that’s not my business.”
Reaffirming his support for Tinubu, Wike said his political actions were driven by his belief in the President’s leadership and his commitment to ensuring the administration succeeds, insisting, “In all this I do, I have never done anything to fail Mr. President. In all this I do, I have never and I will not fail.”
Addressing questions about his political future after Tinubu’s second term, the former governor said relevance should not be measured by continued occupancy of a position of authority, but by how a politician relates with and is regarded by the people in his state.
“First of all, if by 2027, Mr. President takes his second term, that it is over—first of all, we have to thank God for giving the opportunity to serve. Must you continue to be in a position of authority? No, certainly not! Am I one of those silly people who think if you don’t occupy a position of authority, you cannot be relevant? I don’t agree to that. It depends on how you carry yourself, it depends on how you relate to your people, and it depends on how people view you.”
Wike also maintained that his political value to Tinubu extends beyond Rivers State, pointing to his role in the FCT and his ability to mobilise support for the President across party lines. He said the governors’ concerns were focused more on protecting their political interests than on securing Tinubu’s victory in 2027.
“Today, it has never happened in the FCT that the ruling party will win all the seats, all six area councils in the FCT. So, as I sit today, I can tell you that the President will win FCT. I can sit today, with the support of other people we have across the states, and deliver for the President. So if APC has 20, and PDP has 10, and Labor has 10, I add it together; then I have got two more for him. Their concern is about them—it’s about them, not about our President!”
Insisting that he had never promised to join the APC or enter into any unity arrangement with the party, Wike said his position from the outset had been to support President Tinubu.
“How did the issue come up now of starting that it’s causing a problem? How did it come? When did this rainbow coalition come about? Why didn’t they say it then at any time? Nobody would have said so! Why didn’t they say it then?
“I am not entering into any unity with your party. I have never made a comment about the party. I only made a comment that I will support Mr. President from day one.”
Responding to concerns over his continued membership of the PDP while supporting Tinubu, Wike told ARISE NEWS that political realities made it difficult for the opposition party to win the presidency, adding that his support for the President did not require him to abandon his party.
Wike also recalled supporting a former governor during a difficult re-election bid despite being a PDP member at the time, using the incident to argue that political alliances can cut across party lines. He said his position has always been clear and that he would continue to make his political choices openly.
“That’s why I said they do not know anything. The presidential candidate is my friend, and he came to me, and I told him, ‘Look, it doesn’t matter how long you run, you know right now it will be difficult for PDP to win the presidency. It will be difficult.’ Yes, last election, the candidate—it is difficult. To become a president, it’s not a tea party. It’s not. It doesn’t work with money; in two months, you become a president. And that was the wrong move.
“This former governor that is talking, in his re-election, I had a PDP candidate in his state, and he came to my house to ask for support because he was not comfortable with what happened in the primaries. And as long as that—was I not in the PDP then? If we had not supported him, he would have failed for nothing. He’s just there for nothing!
“What I tell people is look: make your position known anytime, anywhere you are, and I make my position known. I make my position known!”
On which other states he could influence support for Tinubu, the presidential ally identified Bayelsa State, saying the PDP structure there was working for the President.
“That can happen in Bayelsa State, because the PDP structure there is working for President Tinubu. That can happen in Bayelsa State.”
Dismissing the relevance of the NDC founder in Bayelsa politics, Wike questioned the basis of the title, asking, “What is founder? Who is called founder? Did he found Bayelsa? Is he the one who created Bayelsa?” He argued that the political label did not prevent the PDP structure in the state from backing President Bola Tinubu.
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