APC Governors Reportedly Consider Alternative as Wike’s Attacks Put Tinubu’s 2027 Bid Under Pressure
- Some APC governors, particularly those from Ogun, Kwara and Imo states, are reportedly unhappy with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike's public attacks on party leaders
- Party sources say Wike's political behaviour is pushing some APC stakeholders to weigh support for other presidential candidates ahead of 2027
- The APC National Working Committee is holding back on any action, waiting for President Tinubu to step in and address the growing crisis
PAY ATTENTION: Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng!
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over eight years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - Senior figures within the All Progressives Congress, including a number of governors, are quietly exploring their options ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with some now considering backing rival candidates if tensions over FCT Minister Nyesom Wike remain unresolved.
Multiple party sources, speaking anonymously because they lacked authorisation to discuss the matter publicly, said Wike's repeated attacks on APC governors through television appearances and other media platforms had caused deep frustration among party leaders.
Source: Twitter
Several governors view his conduct as a direct threat to President Bola Tinubu's re-election prospects.
APC governors said to be most aggrieved
As reported by The Punch, a source named the governors of Ogun, Kwara and Imo states as among those most displeased, adding that other senior party figures shared similar concerns.
"Many of them are looking at alternatives. The governors, including some critical party leaders, are considering the fact that Wike has claimed that he has the power to deliver the President, even more than the number of governors supporting the President," the source said.
"If Wike continues along that line, many of them are already considering the option of supporting other candidates against Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Other options are also available to them because they are unhappy about being disrespected and belittled by a minister serving in an APC-led Federal Government, despite being a member of the PDP."
A second source said the situation risked transferring Wike's political enemies to the President himself, warning that even loyal Tinubu supporters were beginning to reconsider their position because of their opposition to the minister.
"Some of them are looking up to the President to act speedily and nip the matter in the bud. If it is not addressed, some of them may simply watch from afar as the election unfolds, and that could have serious implications for the President in 2027," the source added.
APC NWC awaits Tinubu's direction
The APC National Working Committee has so far declined to act, with a senior party source explaining that any intervention without the President's backing could backfire, citing a previous attempt to mediate in the Rivers State crisis involving Wike.
"For now, the party cannot do much about the matter. It is only the President who can intervene," the source said,
adding that the NWC would follow Tinubu's lead once his position became clear.
Efforts to reach APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka for comment were not successful.
Former APC Organising Secretary Eze Duru and former Nigerian Political Science Association President Prof. Hassan Saliu both argued that Tinubu needs Wike alongside the governors to hold together a broad coalition for 2027.
Duru noted that Tinubu's administration had from the start drawn in figures from the PDP, Labour Party, APGA and other parties, and that managing all these interests remained central to the President's political strategy.
Source: Facebook
Wike names 3 APC governors opposing Rainbow Coalition
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported tht Wike publicly named three APC governors he said have been fighting him over the Rainbow Coalition.
Wike made the claim during his appearance on Journalists' Hangout on TVC on Monday, September 21, 2026.
The minister also named five state governors he said have no issues with the Rainbow Coalition.
Source: Legit.ng
