Wike’s Utterances Could Hurt Tinubu’s 2027 Campaign, Says APC Chieftain

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former minority leader of the House of Representatives, Farouk Adamu Aliyu, has warned that recent public comments by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, could create tensions within the ruling party and complicate efforts to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aliyu, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today, was reacting to Wike’s recent criticism of APC governors, whom the FCT minister described as “politically lazy” while defending his proposed cross-party “Rainbow Coalition” in support of Tinubu’s re-election.

The APC chieftain rejected Wike’s description of the governors, saying the language was inappropriate, particularly at a time when the party was seeking to persuade Nigerians to support its candidates.

He said Wike’s support for Tinubu was appreciated, but stressed that the FCT minister, who remains a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), could not determine how the APC would organise its campaign or field candidates.

According to Aliyu, the APC’s position was that support for Tinubu should not be separated from support for candidates contesting under the party’s platform for the national assembly and state legislatures.

He said, “The language he used to call our governors lazy, that’s really in bad taste. And we, all members of APC, reject that statement.

Wike cannot decide for us how we run our campaigns. Because, as I said, some of his utterances, we are now trying to convince people of some of the mistakes we have made; please give us an opportunity to make them up. So not to come and anger people to speak”.

“It is totally unacceptable for us, for any coalition, in such a way that votes for Tinubu and then votes for another party. We are worried that if he goes on like this, it will be more of an arbitrariness than an asset.”

He argued that allowing a situation where voters support Tinubu for president but vote for opposition candidates at other levels could weaken the president’s ability to work with a legislature controlled by his party.

Wike has maintained that his support for Tinubu does not amount to abandoning the PDP, insisting that the party remains free to field candidates for governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.

However, Aliyu said the approach was unacceptable to APC members, adding that the party would treat Wike as an opposition figure despite his service in Tinubu’s administration.

He further warned that Wike’s comments could generate resentment among Nigerians already concerned about economic hardship and government policies.

The former lawmaker also acknowledged Wike’s contribution to Tinubu’s political project, saying the party was not regretting his support. He said the concern was that his recent conduct could turn what the APC regarded as an asset into a source of internal friction.

Aliyu urged both Wike and APC leaders to exercise restraint, saying political disagreements should not escalate into public confrontations that could damage the party’s campaign.