ONOH CALLS FOR CLARITY OVER WIKE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH APC AHEAD OF 2027

Former Southeast spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has urged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress to clarify the political position of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and his relationship with the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections. Onoh said the activities of the Rainbow Coalition and its plans to mobilise support for Tinubu required clearer direction from the President and APC leadership.

In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, Onoh said the issue had become important because the coalition involves politicians from different parties who are supporting Tinubu’s re-election while their respective parties may still field candidates in governorship and legislative contests. He argued that the situation could have implications for the APC’s political structures and candidates as preparations for the 2027 elections intensify.

Onoh also referred to Wike’s political history and his previous involvement in major political realignments. He recalled the role played by Wike and the G5 governors during the 2023 presidential election, when they declined to support the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Onoh said the experience demonstrated how political disagreements within one party could influence wider electoral alignments.

Wike has maintained that his support for Tinubu’s re-election does not mean the PDP will stop contesting other elections. He has also said that the Rainbow Coalition is not an arrangement with the APC but a platform through which politicians from different parties can mobilise support for the President. Wike said the PDP remains free to present candidates for governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections in 2027.

Onoh nevertheless called on Tinubu and the APC National Working Committee to engage with Wike and establish how his political activities and the Rainbow Coalition relate to the party’s formal structures. He said the APC should protect the cohesion of its organisation while accommodating support from politicians outside the party, as political parties and candidates continue preparations for the 2027 elections.