2027 Election: Onoh Tells Wike to Join APC or Step Aside Over ‘Rainbow Coalition’

A former South-East spokesperson for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has called on Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to formally join the All Progressives Congress or withdraw from the internal affairs of the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general election.

Onoh’s demand follows Wike’s decision to support President Tinubu’s re-election while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party. The FCT minister has previously explained that he does not belong to the APC and has no intention of taking up a formal leadership position in the president’s 2027 campaign organisation.

Instead, Wike has promoted what he calls a “Rainbow Coalition”, a political arrangement involving politicians from different parties who are willing to work together to support Tinubu’s re-election.

Onoh, however, has strongly criticised the arrangement, describing it as a potential source of division within the APC at a time when the party is preparing for a major electoral contest.

He argued that individuals who want to influence the affairs of the ruling party should be prepared to formally identify with the party, register as members and operate within its established structures.

According to Onoh’s position, Wike cannot simultaneously remain outside the APC and attempt to influence decisions within the party through a separate political arrangement.

He therefore urged the FCT minister to register as an APC member at the appropriate ward level if he genuinely intends to work within the ruling party, or step aside from its internal affairs.

The criticism has added another layer to the growing political debate surrounding Wike’s role in the 2027 election.

Wike remains one of the most influential figures in Nigerian politics despite retaining his membership of the PDP. His relationship with President Tinubu has also become increasingly important to discussions about the political calculations ahead of the next presidential election.

Although Wike served as Rivers State governor under the PDP and remains associated with the party, he was appointed FCT minister by Tinubu after the 2023 election.

Since then, he has maintained his membership of the PDP while openly supporting several policies and political interests associated with the Tinubu administration.

His position became particularly significant when he explained why he would not accept the position of Director-General of Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign organisation.

Wike said his non-membership of the APC was one reason he could not occupy such a position. He also argued that the effectiveness of a campaign director-general should ultimately be measured by the ability to deliver his own political territory.

He pointed to previous campaign directors-general who were unable to secure their home states for the presidential candidates they supported, saying he would not want to find himself in a similar situation.

Wike said his priority was to ensure that Tinubu receives strong support in Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory rather than occupying a prominent campaign position that could distract from that objective.

He has maintained that his Rainbow Coalition would operate across party lines to support the president’s re-election.

It is this arrangement that Onoh now considers problematic.

The former presidential aide argued that the coalition could create a parallel political structure capable of weakening the APC from within.

He described the arrangement as a potential “Trojan horse” and accused those behind it of pursuing political ambitions that could ultimately create divisions within the ruling party.

Onoh also rejected comparisons between Wike’s current political alignment and the G5 governors’ group that played a prominent role during the 2023 presidential election.

The G5 consisted of five serving governors who rebelled against the PDP’s national leadership during the election period and refused to support the party’s presidential candidate in the manner expected of them.

Onoh argued that the circumstances surrounding the G5 were different because the governors were serving elected officials with direct control over political structures and substantial influence within their respective states.

He maintained that the current Rainbow Coalition does not possess the same level of coordinated political machinery.

According to his argument, the coalition’s ability to influence the 2027 election should not be exaggerated, particularly outside Rivers State.

Onoh further warned that the coalition’s proposed strategy of encouraging voters to support different parties at different levels could create problems for the APC’s legislative ambitions.

He argued that while a political arrangement may help a presidential candidate, it could simultaneously weaken the ruling party’s chances of winning seats in the National Assembly and other elections.

The concern is significant because the 2027 election will involve not only the presidential contest but also elections into the Senate, House of Representatives and state-level political offices.

For the APC, maintaining control of the National Assembly is considered important for the implementation of the federal government’s legislative agenda.

Onoh therefore urged APC leaders and members to remain focused on strengthening the party’s structures instead of allowing parallel arrangements to gain influence.

He called on party stakeholders to insist on clear membership and loyalty, particularly as the election draws closer.

The dispute also reflects the complicated political position occupied by Wike.

Although he remains formally associated with the PDP, his relationship with Tinubu has placed him among the president’s prominent political allies.

His continued membership of the PDP has, however, allowed him to maintain political links with opposition figures and politicians outside the APC.

That position gives Wike considerable flexibility but also exposes him to criticism from both sides of the political divide.

Some politicians view his strategy as pragmatic, arguing that political alliances do not necessarily require formal membership of the same party.

Others believe that anyone seeking to influence the affairs of a political party should operate through its recognised structures.

The disagreement is likely to intensify as political activities increase ahead of 2027.

For the Tinubu administration, support from influential politicians such as Wike could be important in building a broad electoral coalition capable of reaching beyond the traditional APC base.

At the same time, the APC will have to balance such alliances with the interests of its own members and political structures.

The controversy surrounding Wike’s Rainbow Coalition therefore goes beyond the question of whether the FCT minister should join the APC.

It raises broader questions about how political coalitions should operate in Nigeria and whether politicians can support candidates across party lines while retaining their membership of another political organisation.

Nigeria’s political history contains several examples of politicians working together across party boundaries, particularly during presidential elections.

However, such arrangements can become controversial when they appear to challenge the authority of established party structures.

Onoh’s latest comments suggest that some APC stakeholders are uncomfortable with Wike’s approach and want his political role to be clearly defined.

If Wike chooses to remain in the PDP, the APC could face continued questions over the extent to which he should participate in its internal political affairs.

If he eventually joins the APC, his move could equally have significant implications for the political calculations in Rivers State and other parts of the South-South.

For now, Wike has not formally announced a defection to the APC.

His stated position has been that he can support Tinubu’s re-election without becoming an APC member or taking a formal position within the president’s campaign organisation.

That position is at the centre of the latest disagreement.

Onoh believes such an arrangement could sow division within the ruling party, while Wike’s approach suggests that electoral support can be built through a broader alliance that cuts across party boundaries.

As preparations for the 2027 election gather momentum, the competing strategies are likely to generate more political arguments within both the ruling party and the opposition.

The APC will have to determine how much room it is willing to give influential allies who are not formal members, while Wike will have to decide how far he can go in supporting Tinubu without abandoning his position within the PDP.

The outcome of that political balancing act could have consequences not only for Tinubu’s re-election campaign but also for the strength of party structures ahead of the wider elections.

For now, Onoh’s message to Wike is direct: formally join the APC and operate within its structure, or step away from its internal affairs.

With the 2027 election approaching, the dispute is likely to remain part of the wider political conversation as parties and political actors continue to negotiate alliances, loyalty and influence.