Grassroots Organisation has warned that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, must not be allowed to destroy the APC the same way he destroyed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The warning came amid growing disagreement between Mr Wike and APC governors over his Rainbow Coalition, with the governors saying their members would not support any political arrangement capable of weakening the APC or adversely affecting its candidates.
The group, in a statement signed by its chairman, Mukhtar Rabiu, on Monday, accused Mr Wike of polarising the PDP governors, buying over the party leadership and attacking major PDP organs, leading to the destruction of the party.
“Just as he did with the PDP in the past, using lackeys from Kano and Edo states, the same script is being played all over again; this time in the APC.
“Although the APC Governors refused to be so polarised, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by the National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, has curiously kept mute whilst a member of an opposition party has intensified his quest to destroy a major organ of the APC – the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF),” the group stated.
The group further cautioned Mr Wike against using his lame support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid to undermine existing structures and interests of the ruling party.
It disputed claims that the minister’s PDP G-5 alliance constituted an indispensable electoral machine for Mr Tinubu in 2023, citing the presidential results in the five states associated with the alliance.
“The group recalled that three members of the then G5— Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Samuel Ortom of Benue—lost their senatorial elections in 2023. It is instructive to note that the only one among the now defunct G-5 that won elections democratically in the 2023 race was the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who broke ranks with Wike.
“In fact, Ikpeazu, Ortom and Ugwuanyi were reputed to have lost their polling units, wards and local governments. Even Wike allegedly lost his local government and Rivers State before the presentation of the controversial and highly disputed Rivers State presidential election result. Where, then, is his self-acclaimed street credibility besides dishing insults and making outrageous and wild claims?” it explained.
While welcoming Mr Wike’s support for Mr Tinubu, the group warned that his controversial “Rainbow Coalition” should not be treated as an alternative to the APC’s elected governors, candidates and formal structures.
It noted, “Support President Tinubu. But do not expect APC governors to surrender their governors, senators, House members, Assembly candidates or party structures to Wike’s faction of the PDP.”
Earlier, Mr Wike insisted that his major political priority remained securing the re-election of Mr Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
“My primary concern is whether Tinubu will be re-elected for a second term, and I have made it known from the onsets that I am going to support Mr President with all my might and strength,” the minister stated during a project inspection in Abuja on Monday.
