NDC Mocks Wike Over Face-Off With APC Govs

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has mocked the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, over his ongoing face-off with the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum, describing the development as “well deserved.”

The national publicity secretary of the party, Osa Director, who spoke in an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend yesterday, said the crisis did not concern the NDC, describing Wike as a politician without a political base.

Director also said Wike’s repeated mockery of the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was borne out of jealousy and political pettiness.

“NDC is the fastest-growing political party today, and we are not even concerned about the fight between Nyesom Wike and the APC governors. Let them swim in their wild wind, but let me say that he deserves what is happening to him.

“He has no political party as of now, and we have no business with him and his co-travellers,” he said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the APC in Bayelsa State, Warman Weri Ogoriba, has rejected the relevance of the emerging “Rainbow Coalition” in the state, insisting that the party has the structures, organisation and grassroots support to secure victory for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and its officially nominated candidates in the 2027 general elections.

Ogoriba, in a statement, said the Bayelsa APC remained focused, united and firmly positioned at the grassroots, with structures spread across the eight local government areas and political wards in the state.

He said the party would not be distracted by political alliances outside its established structure, stressing that the APC would continue to consolidate its membership base, strengthen internal unity and deepen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the elections.

“The task before the party is to remain organised, disciplined and committed to the collective objective of advancing the APC and supporting its candidates at all levels.

“We are confident that the combination of the party’s existing structures, committed members, stakeholders and grassroots networks would provide the foundation for a strong electoral campaign in 2027,” he said.

He urged APC members and supporters across the state to remain united and focused, assuring them that the party leadership would continue to engage stakeholders and mobilise support in every community.

Also, the State Coordinators of the Renewed Hope Ambassadors (RHA) have cautioned Wike and other APC stakeholders against political actions that could weaken the party’s structures and undermine its unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group made the call in a statement signed by representatives from various geopolitical zones, including Chief Henry Ikechukwu Ikoh of Abia, Hon. Zachary Madiyi of Adamawa, Prince A. Ikim of Akwa Ibom, Amb. Tarzoor Terhemen of Benue, Chief Olajide Awe of Ekiti and Hon. Musa Shuabu Mohammed of Jigawa, among others.

The group said while it welcomed support for Tinubu’s re-election bid from Nigerians across political parties, such support should not be allowed to work against APC candidates, governors or established party structures.

The coordinators also expressed support for the position of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), which has maintained that APC governors have commitments to both Tinubu and the party’s candidates at all levels.

The warning came amid growing attention to the emerging Rainbow Coalition associated with Wike and its proposed mobilisation of support for Tinubu across political divides.

The RHA said such mobilisation should complement, rather than compete with, the APC’s existing grassroots structures.

According to the coordinators, Wike was entitled to mobilise support for the President, but warned that the arrangement should not create parallel centres of political authority capable of working against APC candidates or structures at state and local government levels.

“Minister Wike is entitled to mobilise support for President Tinubu. He has made it clear that the coalition is separate from the APC and is intended to mobilise support for the President across political parties.

“But if that mobilisation begins to work against APC candidates or creates competing centres of political authority in states and local communities, then it is reasonable for APC leaders and governors to draw a clear line,” the group said.

The coordinators argued that a presidential campaign could not be sustained by weakening the political structures expected to mobilise voters and deliver support for the party’s candidates.

They stressed that APC governors had responsibilities to the party, its candidates and their respective states, adding that competing mobilisation structures could create confusion among party supporters.

The group disclosed that the RHA had established grassroots mobilisation structures across the country, covering national and zonal leadership, 774 local government areas, 8,809 wards and polling units.

It also referred to the 2023 general elections, arguing that cross-party support arrangements produced mixed outcomes in some states and constituencies, and that presidential support without a strong grassroots structure could result in fragmented political outcomes.

The coordinators therefore urged Wike and other supporters of Tinubu to operate within a coordinated framework that would strengthen existing structures rather than create rivalry among supporters.

“Our message to Minister Wike is straightforward: support President Tinubu, by all means, but do not turn that support into a platform for undermining APC governors, APC candidates, or the party structures working at the grassroots,” they said.

They maintained that the 2027 election required greater coordination among supporters of the President rather than competition over political mobilisation structures.