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A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) backed by Nyesom Wike has hit back at the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum over its opposition to political arrangements that could affect the party’s 2027 election plans.
The PDP faction said the APC governors should focus on governance and their performance in office rather than opposing Wike’s political activities and support for candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) had said on Monday that it would not endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid or APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
The position came amid the activities of the rainbow coalition, a cross-party political alliance supporting Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. Wike, a PDP member and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has been associated with the coalition while maintaining his membership of the PDP.
In a statement on Tuesday, Jungudo Mohammed, national publicity secretary of the Wike-backed PDP faction, said the APC governors’ position reflected concerns about Wike’s political influence and his ability to support candidates outside the APC in the 2027 elections.
Mohammed said Wike’s support for Tinubu did not amount to abandoning the PDP or surrendering his political relationships and influence to the APC.
“The APC Governors’ Forum should understand that Wike is not their problem; their problem is their poor governance and failure to meet the expectations of their people,” the statement read.
“Their opposition to Wike’s support is driven by fear. The fear that their poor records of performance will be exposed at the polls. Wike has every constitutional and democratic right to decide whom he supports politically.”
The PDP faction also said the party’s efforts to resolve its internal crisis and field candidates for the 2027 elections had increased political competition ahead of the polls.
“If they have truly performed and retained the confidence of their people, they should welcome a contest and allow the electorate to decide,” Mohammed said.
He urged the APC governors to concentrate on governance, accountability and performance rather than seeking to determine whom Wike should support politically.
