While Wike—a high-profile figure within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)—maintains that the coalition is fully dedicated to Tinubu’s return and insists his detractors are merely attacking him over his loyalty to the president, concerned APC figures and governors view the strategy with deep suspicion. The primary anxiety centers on the coalition’s decision to field candidates on alternate party platforms, which critics argue will confuse voters and split the ballot on election day across states like Rivers, Kwara, Gombe, and Cross River.

Governor Clashes and Wike’s Defense

During a recent media chat in Port Harcourt, Wike didn’t shy away from naming his chief critics, pointing squarely at Imo State Governor and Progressives Governors Forum Chairman Hope Uzodimma, as well as Kwara State Governor and Nigeria Governors’ Forum Chairman AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, accusing them of spearheading the campaign against him.

Singling out AbdulRazaq over local candidate disputes in Kwara, Wike argued that the governor should instead acknowledge his role in offering a safe haven to aggrieved members who fled the APC for the PDP rather than aligning with anti-Tinubu elements. Wike also recalled past friction with Uzodimma, noting a lack of reciprocal support despite assistance rendered during previous political hurdles. Despite the bad blood, Wike insisted that ensuring Tinubu’s victory remains his core priority, challenging his accusers to match his track record of political loyalty.

Voter Confusion and Electoral Strategy Fears

Insiders close to the APC governors and the presidency report that these deep anxieties were formally raised during a recent strategy meeting in Abuja. Because the coalition has reportedly fielded candidates under the PDP platform for National Assembly seats running concurrently with the 2027 presidential poll, party chiefs fear it will break traditional voting lines.

Party strategists warn that this setup will confuse the electorate—particularly in rural areas where straight-party voting is common—with supporters privately urged to back opposition candidates while publicly cheering for Tinubu. To illustrate the danger, sources pointed to historical precedents:

• Oyo State (2023): Where voters backed Tinubu for president while sweeping out the ruling party’s legislative candidates.

• The South-West (2003): Where widespread enthusiasm for President Olusegun Obasanjo’s re-election coincided with the Alliance for Democracy losing numerous legislative and gubernatorial seats across the region (though then-Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu famously survived the wave).

Expanding Regional Tensions

The friction is not isolated to a single state. In Kwara, Wike’s alignment with former Senate President and local gubernatorial rival Bukola Saraki has rattled the state’s APC structure, creating confusion over how a pro-Tinubu coalition can simultaneously work against the ruling party locally. Similar cross-party realignments are brewing in Gombe, Zamfara, and Cross River—where a mix of PDP, Labour Party, Obi movement, and ADC elements have reportedly combined forces to challenge Governor Bassey Otu.

Compounding these worries is the broader threat posed by opposition figures like Atiku Abubakar, whose African Democratic Congress (ADC) strategy targets heavy support across the North-West and North-East. An internal source cautioned that Tinubu could find himself heavily exposed if he fails to lock down maximum support in the North-Central and South-East.

With governors pushing for urgent intervention from the national leadership to neutralize what they view as a Trojan horse, party sources emphasize that time is running out. As one insider starkly warned: “The rainbow coalition poses more dangers to the president’s re-election and needs to be addressed urgently.”