A fresh political battle is brewing as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has accused two All Progressives Congress (APC) governors of working against him ahead of the 2027 elections.
Wike named Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, alleging that both governors have turned their backs on him despite the political support he claimed to have given them in the past.
The former Rivers State governor made the explosive allegations on Wednesday during a media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Wike singled out AbdulRazaq, accusing him of allegedly championing a campaign against him across political circles.
He said he had confronted the Kwara governor personally over the alleged campaign, insisting that he would not make accusations he could not defend.
According to Wike, AbdulRazaq had accused him of sponsoring candidates against the governor’s preferred political choices in Kwara.
But Wike fired back that AbdulRazaq should instead appreciate the political platform he provided for some aggrieved APC figures who moved into the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), rather than joining the opposition coalition against President Bola Tinubu.
The FCT minister also opened up on his frosty relationship with Uzodimma, recalling that the Imo governor had at one point refused to support him despite the backing Wike claimed to have given him.
The accusations come at a politically sensitive period, with parties and politicians already positioning themselves for the 2027 presidential election.
‘I’M NOT WORKING AGAINST APC GOVERNORS’
Wike rejected allegations that he was plotting against APC governors, challenging his critics to point to any political support they had given him in return.
He maintained that his political intentions had never been hidden and insisted that personal disagreements would not make him abandon his support for Tinubu’s second-term bid.
His position is particularly striking because Wike remains a member of the opposition PDP while openly campaigning for Tinubu, the APC presidential candidate.
‘ATIKU, OBI WILL COME FOR MY HEAD’
Wike also raised the stakes over the 2027 presidential contest, saying his strong support for Tinubu could make him one of the first politicians targeted if the President loses the election.
He said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, both now major opposition figures ahead of 2027, would come after him politically if Tinubu were defeated.
Wike said he was therefore not prepared to “sleep” while the President’s re-election campaign suffered, adding that he was fully focused on ensuring Tinubu wins in 2027.
The minister also revisited the 2023 election, claiming that he and his allies deliberately worked to weaken Atiku’s chances in the South.
He recalled the role of the then G5 governors, who opposed Atiku’s presidential bid after the PDP’s failure to resolve its internal power-sharing crisis.
Wike said the strategy was aimed at preventing Atiku from securing enough southern support to defeat Tinubu.
He also dismissed claims of Peter Obi’s widespread popularity, arguing that the enthusiasm displayed by Obi’s supporters does not necessarily translate into electoral strength.
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