Arise News Director and Politics Editor, Sumner Sambo, has highlighted the immense political pressure facing Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, attributing it to his multiple roles as Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) requiring absolute loyalty, Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council for the Renewed Hope project, and a 2027 senatorial candidate.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking on Arise Television on Tuesday, Sambo noted that these overlapping responsibilities have sparked internal party concerns that Governor Uzodinma may have taken on too much. Sambo’s comments follow the recent friction between APC governors—who distanced themselves from FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State—and Wike, who fired back by telling critics to resolve local issues instead of weaponizing the President’s re-election.

Describing Wike as a “man of steel” who brings valuable political governance experience to President Bola Tinubu’s camp, Sambo warned that the escalating dispute is dangerously transforming into a personal political conflict between Wike and Uzodinma. He noted that President Tinubu needs to step in to douse the tension, arguing that the failure to mediate exposes potential political weaknesses. Furthermore, Sambo questioned whether the APC governors’ aggressive pushback was triggered by the recent release of an INEC list showing the coalition backing numerous candidates across multiple key states.

The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has initiated efforts to mediate a growing disagreement between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Nyesom Wike and the party’s governors regarding the political structure known as the “Rainbow Coalition.” This intervention follows internal party concerns that the feud could escalate and jeopardize President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The core of the dispute is whether opposition politicians supporting President Tinubu through this coalition are also obligated to support APC candidates in governorship, National Assembly, and State House of Assembly elections.

The Progressive Governors’ Forum, chaired by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, has adopted a firm stance that APC governors will campaign exclusively for the entire APC ticket, from the presidency down to the state legislative level. Governor Uzodimma emphasized that the forum will not endorse or support any arrangement capable of undermining the APC or weakening its candidates at any tier. “The governors’ campaign commitment is exclusively to all APC candidates,” Uzodimma stated.

Minister Wike, however, maintains that his support is strictly for President Tinubu’s re-election and does not extend to other APC candidates. He clarified that no agreement exists requiring the coalition or supporting opposition parties to campaign for the APC in state-level elections. “What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the re-election of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections,” Wike asserted.

A member of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) acknowledged the complexity of the situation, noting that while both sides are united in facilitating the President’s re-election, they could become opponents in legislative and governorship contests where coalition-backed candidates challenge APC flag bearers. The NWC member argued that “APC is a party, not a coalition” and that the situation requires strategic consultation rather than a “media war” to ensure the electorate understands the distinction between supporting the President and voting for candidates of other parties.

Addressing Governor Uzodimma’s concerns, Wike questioned the logic that supporting non-APC candidates hurts the President’s prospects, citing the 2023 general elections where voters in several Southeast states supported APC legislative candidates while giving lower vote counts to Tinubu in the presidential election. Wike concluded by asserting that “politics is local” and that the coalition’s immediate objective is securing Tinubu’s return to office, after which members can focus on their respective state contests.

Confirming the party’s next steps, the NWC member stated that the leadership would definitely wade into the crisis through “multi-level engagement.”

Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has stated that the core objective of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike’s Rainbow Coalition is whether it can successfully deliver votes for President Bola Tinubu. Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, Fayose asserted that both Wike and the APC governors are ultimately supporting Tinubu, albeit through different approaches.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Fayose emphasized that the ongoing friction between Wike and the APC governors does not pose a threat to Tinubu’s re-election prospects. “If Rainbow works for Wike in Rivers, and it can bring results, that’s all the president wants,” he noted, adding that Wike operates primarily within his sphere of influence and is not imposing the coalition across other states. He further dismissed the dispute as a natural byproduct of political interest and power struggles, arguing that the controversy will actually benefit the President.

“Everything works together for good, for the president. Without controversy, you can’t get far. Controversy in itself will help the election,” Fayose stated, pointing out that both factions remain united behind Tinubu despite their differing methods. He concluded that the public disagreement takes nothing away from the ruling camp, noting that it simply reflects individual political egos and localized strategies.