Arise News Director and Politics Editor, Sumner Sambo, has urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the growing disagreement between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma.
Sambo said the dispute was beginning to take on the appearance of a personal political confrontation between Wike and Uzodimma, amid the ongoing disagreement over Wike’s Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Arise Television on Tuesday, Sambo said Uzodimma was also operating under significant political pressure because of the various responsibilities he currently holds within the APC and his own political ambitions.
He noted that Uzodimma is Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council and a candidate for the 2027 senatorial election.
Sambo’s comments followed the decision by APC governors to distance themselves from the Rainbow Coalition, which is being championed by Wike.
Wike subsequently maintained that the coalition had nothing to do with the APC and argued that his support for President Tinubu’s re-election should not be interpreted as support for APC candidates in every election.
According to Sambo, the situation presents political challenges for both Wike and Uzodimma and requires presidential intervention to prevent tensions from escalating.
He said, “Indeed, for the election, it’s a very difficult time for Wike, and I understand when all the governors of the governing party are standing up against you. It can’t be easy. I mean, it would never be easy. You’ll have to fight back, and he’s actually a man of steel.
“But what I would say is that I think the President, having seen the effort that Wike has put in supporting him, wouldn’t also want to discountenance the support that he brings, especially because he brings a whole wealth of experience politically, in terms of governance and all of that.
“But the angle the fight is actually going to is what I don’t really think it should, and that’s where the President needs to step in because it begins to look like a personal political fight between himself and Governor Uzodinma.
“Now, I understand Governor Uzodinma is also under pressure, being the person in charge of the Progressive Governors Forum. He has to show absolute loyalty, and then, of course, Secretary of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, the one in charge of the Renewed Hope, and then, of course, being a senatorial candidate for the election.
“Now, this is where the problem actually comes for him, too, because within the APC, you see that there is this similar crisis that’s ongoing. People are thinking maybe he has so much on his plate to chew; he should just push off a little.
“But, of course, he’s also been saying that he has the capacity to deliver, and that’s why he was able to rally round his colleagues.
“But I think that they couldn’t have come out openly in the way they did. I think it’s beginning to show the weaknesses of President Tinubu himself, that he is unable to call these two people together. So, the President’s political skills should have come into play to see how he can help douse tension.
“I’m also beginning to wonder: Is it because of the INEC list that was released that made the APC governors come out all out now?
“Because Wike has 103 senatorial candidates and then several House of Representatives candidates that are out, and then you see that there are about six key states that the Rainbow Coalition is actually in.”