The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has again publicly accused the governors of Kwara and Imo states of actively working against him politically, claiming the two All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders have failed to reciprocate support he previously extended to them.
Speaking during Thursday’s media chat in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Wike specifically named Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma as the governors involved.
The minister directed his strongest criticism at AbdulRazaq, alleging that the Kwara governor has been leading a sustained campaign against him in political circles. “Take for example, Kwara, he has been the one championing this campaign against me everywhere. Yes, I have confronted him too. I don’t talk about what I cannot defend,” Wike said.
According to Wike, AbdulRazaq had accused him of sponsoring political candidates opposed to the governor’s preferred choices in Kwara State. The FCT minister rejected the claim and argued that the Kwara governor should instead appreciate the political platform he had helped provide for aggrieved APC members who left the ruling party but chose not to join opposition coalitions against President Bola Tinubu.
Regarding Uzodinma, Wike was more concise but equally pointed. “Governor Hope, he knows the support I give to him,” he stated, recalling that the Imo governor had at one point declined to back him when support was needed. The two men had previously maintained a working relationship, including Wike’s public defence of Uzodinma following the 2020 Supreme Court judgment that installed him as Imo governor.
Wike’s remarks come amid intensifying political realignments and jockeying for influence ahead of the 2027 general elections. Despite remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the former Rivers State governor has continued to openly support Tinubu’s re-election bid and has been a key figure in political activities linked to the presidency.
The minister dismissed suggestions that his own political engagements were aimed at undermining APC governors, insisting that his primary focus remains the re-election of the President. He also questioned the political fallout from the removal of certain lawmakers from the APC in some states, arguing that such actions create openings for those politicians to seek alternative platforms.
Neither AbdulRazaq nor Uzodinma had issued an immediate public response to Wike’s allegations as of the latest reports. The comments have added another layer to the complex web of alliances and rivalries within the APC and between key political figures supporting Tinubu’s second-term ambition.
Wike, known for his combative political style, has frequently used media engagements to address perceived slights and reassert his influence. Analysts note that the latest outburst highlights growing tensions among Tinubu’s allies as the 2027 electoral cycle approaches.
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