Former presidential spokesperson Reuben Abati says President Bola Tinubu is facing mounting political pressure as Nyesom Wike and APC governors clash over the 2027 election strategy.
Abati made the remarks on Arise News’ The Morning Show, which he co-anchors, while analysing the latest dispute between the FCT minister and governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). (Naija News)
The comments followed the APC Governors’ Forum’s rejection of political arrangements that could undermine the party or its candidates in the 2027 elections.
Wike, however, has maintained that his Rainbow Coalition is focused on mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election, rather than supporting APC candidates across all levels.
APC Governors Reject Wike’s Political Arrangement
The APC Governors’ Forum announced on Monday that its members would not support any alliance or political arrangement capable of weakening the party or affecting its candidates.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, chairman of the forum, announced the position after a closed-door meeting in Abuja.
The governors said they would support Tinubu’s re-election while remaining committed to APC candidates in the governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections. (Premium Times Nigeria)
The declaration was widely viewed as a response to Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, which has been mobilising support for Tinubu across political lines.
The governors did not name Wike directly in their resolution.
Wike Separates Tinubu Support From APC Candidates
Wike has repeatedly drawn a distinction between supporting Tinubu and supporting APC candidates.
In a statement issued through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, the minister said the Rainbow Coalition was established to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
He said the coalition was not an APC structure and that political parties remained free to field candidates for other positions. (Premium Times Nigeria)
Wike also said he had never promised that the Peoples Democratic Party would refrain from fielding candidates against APC candidates in the 2027 elections.
The position has brought him into direct disagreement with the APC governors, who have emphasised party loyalty and support for APC candidates at all levels.
Abati Says Tinubu Is Now ‘On The Spot’
It was against this backdrop that Abati said Tinubu had been placed in a difficult political position.
He argued that the President could face competing expectations from the APC governors and Wike’s political structure as the 2027 elections approach.
“Now it’s President Tinubu that has been put on the spot, he is faced with a choice,” Abati said during the Arise News programme. (Naija News)
He questioned whether Tinubu would publicly align himself with the APC governors or continue to accommodate Wike’s political machinery.
“The President is in a tight situation,” Abati said, while outlining the competing positions facing the President.
Abati’s comments were an analysis of the political situation. They do not indicate that Tinubu has publicly announced a choice between Wike and the APC Governors’ Forum.
What The Dispute Means For 2027
The disagreement highlights a distinction between Tinubu’s presidential campaign and the wider contest for governorship and legislative seats.
The APC governors have said their political support will extend to the party’s candidates.
Wike, meanwhile, has said his Rainbow Coalition is focused on securing support for Tinubu, even as political parties retain the right to field their own candidates. (Premium Times Nigeria)
That difference has become the central issue in the latest confrontation.
Wike has also rejected suggestions that he approached APC governors to join his coalition. In an interview with Arise News, he said he had never sought such an arrangement from the governors. (Arise News)
For now, there is no public indication that Tinubu has endorsed either side of the dispute.
The political disagreement is unfolding as parties and political blocs begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 elections.
