Wike To APC Govs: You Are Politically Lazy, Don’t Use Tinubu To Cover Your Local Failures

FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed concerns raised by APC governors over his Rainbow Coalition, describing the governors as “politically lazy.”

Wike spoke on Tuesday night during an interview on television, reacting to the communique issued by the APC Governors Forum led by Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma.

The APC governors had on Monday night said they would not support any alliance capable of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s re-election or weakening APC candidates in 2027.

Wike said his support for Tinubu’s re-election does not mean he has abandoned the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

“They are politically lazy. When you have your local problems, don’t use Mr President as your excuse,” Wike said.

He said his Rainbow Coalition has nothing to do with APC but is a platform to mobilise support across party lines for Tinubu’s second term.

“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly elections,” he said.

Wike insisted that politics is local and that those having problems in their states should resolve them instead of whipping up sentiments around Tinubu’s re-election.

He questioned the logic of the governors, citing the 2023 elections in Imo, Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu where APC won Senate seats while scoring less than 15 percent in the presidential election in the same states.

“In Imo State, under Governor Hope Uzodimma, how did APC win two Senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President and APC had less than 15 per cent in the presidential election? Was it Rainbow Coalition? Were the voters confused?” Wike asked.

He argued that supporting a presidential candidate does not stop parties from fielding other candidates, citing Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo, Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke and Abia Governor Alex Otti.

“Take Soludo, Adeleke and Otti. Does it mean that their parties will not present other candidates? This thing they are saying does not have any basis,” he said.

The minister also took a swipe at Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, whom he accused of always blaming him for his political challenges.

“The governor of Kwara, so unfortunate. Anytime he sees a snake, it’s Wike. Any day he doesn’t eat, it’s Wike,” Wike said.

Wike said the rivalry did not start today, recalling that some of the governors opposed his appointment as FCT Minister.

“This thing did not start today. It started at a ministerial position. They were not happy that I was Minister of FCT. Also, they were unhappy when I was governor,” he said.

He added: “If they know what I know, they would not come out to shout. I have said I will support the President and I am still supporting him. What has that got to do with my party?”