The All Progressives Congress (APC) Grassroots Organisation
has warned that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, must not be allowed to destroy the APC the same way he destroyed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The group stated that Wike had polarised the PDP governors, bought over the party leadership and attacked major PDP organs leading to the destruction of the 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 group said.
“Although the APC Governors refused to be so polarised, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by the National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, has curiously kept mute whilst a member of an opposition party has intensified his quest to destroy a major organ of the APC – the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF),” it added.
The organisation also cautioned Wike that he should not 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 Grassroots Organisation, Mukhtar Tanimu Rabiu, warned that Wike might unwittingly derail the President’s re-election with the introduction of his controversial Rainbow Coalition into the campaign mix.
The organisation disputed 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 group 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”?, it queried.
The organisation insisted that an individual or a support group must not be allowed to function as a parallel party structure simply because they support the President.
While welcoming Wike’s support for Tinubu, the group warned that his controversial “Rainbow Coalition” should not be treated as an alternative to the APC’s elected governors, candidates and formal structures.
According to the organisation, 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 your faction of the PDP”, the group emphasised.
The organisation’s warning is coming 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 grassroots mobilisation group 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 he truly had any faith in his so-called Rainbow Coalition?”
