‘Stop Talking’ — Tinubu’s Campaign Tells Wike, Others

A spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council, Ima Niboro, has told the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and APC governors to stop their public exchanges and take their political battle to the grassroots ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Niboro said the politicians should spend more time building support among voters instead of trading accusations and responding to one another on television.

He spoke on Wednesday during an appearance on Arise Television’s The Morning Show.

This follows the disagreement that has emerged between Wike and some APC governors over how support for President Bola Tinubu should be mobilised ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The latest dispute was triggered by Wike’s promotion of what he calls the “Rainbow Coalition”, a cross-party arrangement aimed at mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election.

While Wike has maintained that the coalition is focused on the presidential election and does not require other political parties to abandon their candidates, APC governors have rejected the arrangement.

The position of the governors was made public by Imo State Governor and Chairman of the APC Progressive Governors’ Forum, Hope Uzodimma, after a meeting of the governors in Abuja.

Uzodimma said the governors would not support any political arrangement that could weaken the APC or affect the interests of its candidates in the 2027 elections.

“The APC Governors Forum unanimously resolved that its members will not participate in, support or endorse any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining the re-election of Mr President, weakening the APC or adversely affecting any candidate of the party at all levels,” Uzodimma said.

He also made it clear that the governors would continue to campaign for APC candidates across the various elective positions.

“In other words, the forum has no intention to support any candidate at any level that is not an APC candidate because our candidates who are contesting the election are being sponsored by our party,” Uzodimma said.

Wike responded by questioning the political strength of the APC governors and criticised them over their opposition to his coalition.

He particularly took aim at Uzodimma, saying the Imo governor should be grateful that he was not a member of the APC.

“I said I will support the President from day one. I never told Mr. President I will join APC. Go and ask him. If I want to join APC, it’s not people like Hope who will tell me to join APC,” Wike said.

“In fact, he is lucky I’m not in APC because I wouldn’t take that kind of rubbish he is doing in APC.”

The FCT minister has repeatedly explained that his support for Tinubu should not be interpreted as an agreement to support APC candidates in every other election.

He said his objective was to mobilise votes for Tinubu while allowing political parties, including the PDP, to retain the right to field candidates for governorship and legislative contests.

“What I said and stand for is that I will mobilise support for the reelection of the President. I never promised anyone that PDP will not field candidates to contest governorship, National Assembly and States House of Assembly elections,” Wike said.

Wike has also argued that the Rainbow Coalition is not intended to replace the APC or interfere with its internal structure.

“Most importantly, Rainbow Coalition has nothing to do with the APC. Rather, it is our own way of mobilising support across political parties for Mr President, who has done well to deserve a second term,” he said.

He cited political developments in states such as Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi during the 2023 elections to support his argument that voters can back different parties in presidential and legislative elections.

“In Imo State, under Governor Hope Uzodinma, how did APC win two Senate seats in 2023, in an election held the same day with that of the President, and APC had less than 15 per cent in the presidential election? Was it Rainbow Coalition? Were the voters confused?” Wike asked.

He also pointed to governors outside the APC who have expressed support for Tinubu, questioning whether such support meant their political parties would be expected to abandon their own candidates.

“Soludo is supporting President Tinubu, does it mean he won’t support APGA candidates for the National Assembly elections?” Wike asked.

“Governor Adeleke is supporting the president. Does it mean he won’t support Accord National Assembly candidates? Alex Otti is supporting President Tinubu from what he said. Does it mean the Labour Party won’t have National Assembly candidates?”

Niboro, however, said the politicians should stop allowing the disagreement to dominate public discourse.

Describing the dispute as a “quarrel among siblings,” the campaign spokesperson said the focus should now shift from television appearances and public accusations to political mobilisation.

“When I said tone down the rhetoric, I do not mean stop working. Stop talking, go and work,” he said.

Niboro said political leaders should establish their influence by engaging directly with voters and strengthening their structures in their respective areas.

“All this shouting is not taking anybody anywhere. Go and work. Go and establish your authority on your political base,” he said.

“Get on the TV cameras. Go to the people. Go to the streets. Go to the marketplaces. Go and win the people.”

He further urged the politicians to stop what he described as excessive public rhetoric and concentrate on the practical work of building political support.

“Stop all this high-sounding grammar that they are blowing everywhere is not leading anybody anywhere. Go and work,” Niboro said.

“If you’re a political leader, stop talking. Go and work. That is my point,” he added.