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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has dismissed reports of a rift between its governors and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over his inclusion in President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign council, describing the disagreement as a “false battle”.
APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the party’s governors and Wike shared a common interest in securing Tinubu’s re-election, despite their different political affiliations.
Speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, Morka said the controversy over Wike’s inclusion in the presidential campaign council had been exaggerated, insisting that both camps were committed to returning Tinubu to office.
“It was a false battle to begin with. I don’t think there was any real tension between those positions because they united in their extraordinary commitment to the re-election of the President,” he said.
Morka noted that the Progressive Governors Forum comprised APC governors, while Wike remained a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) despite serving in Tinubu’s administration. He said the minister’s support for the President did not require him to defect to the ruling party.
The APC spokesman described the arrangement as an example of cross-party collaboration, arguing that politicians could support candidates from different parties in separate elections without surrendering their democratic rights.
He said it would be unreasonable for any candidate to reject votes from political opponents who chose to support them, adding that voters were free to back candidates across party lines.
Morka also stressed that Wike’s decision to mobilise support for Tinubu was his personal political choice, not a directive from the President.
“The individual we’re speaking about, the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum, it’s not a member of APC. That is without controversy. He’s made it clear, he’s a member of the PDP,” Morka said.
He added that Wike and his supporters had the constitutional right to support Tinubu, while the President retained the prerogative to decide who would serve in his government if he won another term.
On concerns that Wike’s inclusion could deepen divisions within the APC, Morka insisted that there were no cracks in the party, noting that the minister had served in Tinubu’s government for nearly four years despite remaining in the PDP.
Morka expressed confidence in Tinubu’s re-election prospects, saying the APC would present the administration’s record to Nigerians during the campaign. He added that the President would travel across the country to promote his agenda ahead of the 2027 election.
