Wetin be Rainbow Coalition and why APC govnors dey quarrel FCT Minister Nyesom Wike bicos of am?

Tension don dey rise recently for inside Nigeria ruling political party, di All Progressives Congress (APC), as govnors from di party be like say dem wan kwanta wit di Minister of di federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, sake of one political movement wey Wike dey champion, wey di name na di 'Rainbow Coalition'.

Di mata strong sotey di APC govnors do meeting and issue statement say dia hand no dey for di Rainbow Coalition tin or any oda political joinbodi arrangement outside dia own party.

Chairman of di Progressives Govnors Forum and govnor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, na im read out dat communique afta dia meeting on 14 September 2026, and e tok say di Rainbow Coalition mata fit confuse voters and undermine dia party supremacy.

But many Nigerians dey ask wetin even be di Rainbow Coalition, weda na new political party, and wetin be dia objective.

Rainbow Coalition na brainchild of Nyesom Wike, di current FCT Minister and former govnor of Rivers State, who imsef belong to di opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but e dey serve for di APC administration of President Bola Tinubu.

During di 2023 general election, Wike bin support Tinubu against im own party, afta e lose di PDP presidential primary election to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Dat time, Wike insist say na di turn of Southern Nigeria to produce President of di kontri, and instead wey e go support Atiku - who come from Northern Nigeria - e go rada support anoda political party.

Wit Wike support, Tinubu controversially win for Rivers State, even though di PDP win for di oda elections like Senate, House of Representatives, and State House of Assembly.

Afta di election, Tinubu reward Wike wit Ministerial position, despite say e decide to remain for di PDP.

So as di 2027 elections dey come close, di PDP don almost collapse sake of internal gbas-gbos wey no gree finish, and Wike still dey maintain support for Tinubu for im second term ambition, but di FCT Minister claim say im idea for Rainbow Coalition na to mobilise politicians across political parties to support Tinubu for President, while maintaining dia own individual ambition for dia various parties.

Wike maintain say di primary aim of di Rainbow Coalition na to make sure say Tinubu win im second tenure, but e no mean say for oda elections politicans from oda political party no go protect dia own interest.

E give example wit oda State govnors, like Anambra, Osun and Abia States, wey no be APC membas but who don tok openly say dem go support Tinubu for president.

"Take Soludo, Adeleke and Otti, shey e mean say dia parties no go present oda candidates? Dis tin dem (APC govnors) dey tok no get any basis," Wike tok for one TV interview.

APC members reject any coalition

Di APC govnors and top membas tok say dem no dey do any coalition, and say na only dia party candidates dem go support for all di elective positions.

Dem complain say dis so-called Rainbow Coalition fit reduce di numba of dia party members for di National Assembly and e fit affect di super majority wey dem dey currently enjoy for parliament.

Hope Uzodimma, afta di APC govnors forum meeting of September 14, bin tok say dem no support any joinbodi arrangement wey fit "weaken di APC or adversely affect any candidate of di party at all levels".

Also one former South-East tok-tok pesin for President Tinubu, Denge Onoh, tell tori pipo for Abuja say: "Wike dey build autonomous political empire unda di nose of di ruling party by playing di 2027 numbers game to strip APC of legislative and state autonomy."

Onoh further explain say if candidates from dis Rainbow Coalition do well for dia own elections and get enuf legislative seats, dem fit form a bloc of dia own and dem fit influence or decide important issues like who go be principal officers, passing di budget or screening of candidates for presidential appointments.

Wike vs Uzodimma

Even though Hope Uzodimma bin no mention Nyesom Wike name or even call 'Rainbow Coalition' by name for im statements, Wike imsef tell tori pipo say na Uzodimma be di main pesin wey dey agianst di joinbodi arrangement.

Wike accuse say Uzodimma dey afta im own personal political interest wey be to contest for di post of Senate President in 2027.

Uzodimma na still di govnor of Imo State. Im tenure go expire by January 2028, but e don win di APC senatorial ticket for Imo West district.

E neva clear how e go do am bicos di constitution no allow for one pesin to hold two elective positions for di same time, but sabi pipo say di govnor fit resign and hand ova to im deputy if e win di senate seat.

Wike tell tori pipo for TV interview on Monday say, Uzodimma dey fear say if members of di Rainbow Coalition run for senate positions and win, dem no go support am to be di Senate President.

"Dis man office go expire for January 2028. Now, he wan leave im office to run for Senate. I no go ver support character of Hope Uzodimma to be Senate President of Nigeria," Wike tok.

Govnor Uzodimma neva respond to dis latest outburst from Wike.