FCT Minister Nyesom Wike mocked APC governors as politically lazy after they opposed his cross-party coalition for the 2027 presidential election.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has launched a sharp political attack on state governors in the ruling All Progressives Congress, calling them politically lazy.
The former Rivers State Governor made these explosive comments during a live television interview on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, in response to decisions reached by the APC Governors’ Forum in Abuja.
Led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, the ruling party governors held a meeting where they publicly rejected any political alliance that allows politicians to support President Bola Tinubu for reelection while opposing other APC candidates running for governorship or national assembly seats.
The main reason for this political battle is Wike’s creation of a cross-party alliance group called the Rainbow Coalition.
Under this arrangement, Wike, who remains a member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, wants politicians from different parties to join hands and vote for President Tinubu in 2027 while still supporting their own local party candidates for governor and parliament.
APC governors felt threatened by this setup, arguing that all pro-Tinubu support must strictly go to APC candidates at every level.
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Rejecting their demands, Wike argued that voters know how to split their votes on election day, adding that the governors are simply afraid of facing real competition in their home states.
Hitting back directly at the ruling party governors during his broadcast, Nyesom Wike did not hide his anger.
Describing the governors who held the press conference, Nyesom Wike said, “When I see the people who had that press conference, they are smart… but they are politically lazy, unfortunate”.
Telling the governors to solve their own local political problems instead of hiding under the President, the FCT Minister added, “They are politically lazy. When you have your local problems, don’t use Mr President as your excuse”.
Explaining that supporting the President does not mean abandoning local party rights, Wike noted that “Their concern is about them”, stressing that governors cannot dictate how free citizens choose to vote across different offices on election day.
Political analysts and major news outlets note that this growing fight shows deep cracks among political groups supporting the President ahead of 2027.
Observers emphasize that Wike’s refusal to enforce strict party line loyalty challenges traditional party control in Nigerian politics.
Jennifer Baba is a journalist, international news correspondent, and writer at Moderncrux, where she covers artificial intelligence, fintech, emerging technologies, global politics, and international affairs. Based in Nigeria, she is passionate about transforming complex global developments into clear, engaging stories that inform and inspire readers.
