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A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Farouk Aliyu, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the growing disagreement between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and governors elected on the platform of the ruling party.
Aliyu made the call during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, saying the dispute should not be allowed to distract the APC as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
The disagreement comes amid tensions over Wike’s political activities ahead of the 2027 elections and his support for Tinubu’s re-election while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Wike has also defended his proposed “Rainbow Coalition” and criticised some APC governors who opposed his approach.
Aliyu said Tinubu would need to engage both Wike and APC leaders to resolve the dispute.
“Mr. President will have to certainly decide. I’m sure he will speak to Wike, he will speak to also our leaders,” he said.
The APC chieftain urged party members to avoid escalating the disagreement, stressing that the ruling party needed to concentrate on its preparations for the 2027 election.
“But I call on my party members not to join issues with Wike, because let it not be a distraction to us. You know, we have a party to run, we have a country to run,” Aliyu said.
Aliyu criticised Wike’s recent comments about APC governors, particularly his description of some of them as “politically lazy.”
The APC governors have rejected political arrangements they believe could weaken the party or affect its candidates at different levels in the 2027 elections.
“I think the comments of Wike is a bad taste, really, because the language he used to call our governors four-on-niners or lazy, that’s really a bad taste, and we, all members of APC, reject that statement,” Aliyu said.
He also advised Wike to be more cautious with his public statements.
“So certainly Wike should watch his words,” he said.
Aliyu said Wike could disagree with individual governors but should avoid publicly naming and attacking them.
“I mean, he doesn’t need to do that. He doesn’t need to go that far,” he said.
The APC chieftain added: “I mean, he does not need to be this arrogant. Because to me, it’s arrogance calling people out their names.”
Aliyu acknowledged Wike’s support for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid but said the APC was unhappy with what he described as attacks on party leaders.
“And if, look, yes, if you want to say that Wike has helped us, we accept that. We agree he has done that,” he said.
He also pointed to Wike’s appointment as FCT minister, describing the position as significant within Nigeria’s political system.
“But I think he has also been adequately compensated,” Aliyu said.
“And the position of FCT minister is good and huge compensation in a political setting of this country. So we are happy with his performance, absolutely.”
Wike has maintained that his support is specifically for Tinubu and does not mean that he has abandoned the PDP or that opposition parties should not contest governorship and legislative elections.
Aliyu said the APC was working towards establishing a unified campaign structure across the country ahead of the 2027 elections.
“As far as we are concerned, we want unified APC campaign structure, which that’s exactly what we are setting at the national level and across the states as well,” he said.
He added that APC governors would remain responsible for the party’s structures in their respective states.
“And the governors are going to be in charge of the states,” Aliyu said.
The comments come as the Progressive Governors Forum has publicly opposed political alliances that could undermine APC candidates while pledging support for Tinubu and the party’s candidates.
Aliyu described political rivalry and competition for influence as normal aspects of politics but warned that the current disagreement should not be allowed to spread and affect the party’s preparations.
“All of the above. Influence, you know, intrigues, rivalry, yes, that is there, which is normal in politics,” he said.
He further urged Wike and other political leaders to exercise humility.
“So I told Wike to be humble, to be humble, honestly,” Aliyu said.
The APC chieftain also reminded political officeholders that positions of authority were temporary.
“This life is transient. So we should be careful with what we say, how we treat people,” he said.
