It’s Either You’re In APC Or You’re Out, Zamfara Gov Tells Wike

Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, has told the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to either join the All Progressives Congress (APC) or withdraw from the Rainbow Coalition if he intends to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

Lawal said Wike could not support Tinubu at the presidential level while backing candidates of other political parties in governorship and legislative elections.

The governor spoke in an interview with Channels Television’s *nside Sources on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday.

He said the position of APC governors on Wike’s cross-party political platform had not changed despite the minister’s repeated defence of the arrangement.

According to Lawal, Wike needed to clearly state where his political allegiance lies ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Our message is very, very clear: Be on one side. You can’t be in two sides. If you’re in APC, please come out and support APC. Not you’re supporting APC here and you’re supporting other political parties somewhere else. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not done anywhere.

“And that is why we maintain our stand, and it is very clear—the message is very clear. He can speak, he can say whatever he wants to say, but our position has been very, very clear: APC all the way from head to toe,” Lawal said.

When asked whether the governors were effectively asking Wike to join the APC, Lawal responded, “Exactly. What’s the essence?”

He said he would also raise the matter with President Tinubu, stressing the need for Wike’s political position to be clearly defined.

“It’s something that I will take up with the President when he comes back. So, let there be a very, very clear line where this guy belongs to. It’s either he’s in APC or he’s out. It’s simple. And I go with my brothers, the governors,” Lawal said.

The disagreement stems from Wike’s involvement with the Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party platform he has said is intended to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election while allowing political parties to field their own candidates in governorship and legislative contests.

Wike has maintained that his backing for Tinubu does not amount to an endorsement of APC candidates in other elections.

In a statement issued earlier this month, the minister said he would support Tinubu for the presidency while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remained free to contest governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections. He also maintained that the Rainbow Coalition was separate from the APC.

Wike later defended the arrangement, arguing that it was designed to bring together individuals from different political parties in support of Tinubu’s re-election. He also questioned the opposition of some APC governors, referring to the role played by the G5 governors during the 2023 presidential election.

However, APC governors have continued to oppose a political arrangement that, in their view, could allow Tinubu to receive support at the presidential level while candidates outside the party receive backing in other elections.

Lawal also reacted to Wike’s description of some APC governors as lazy, saying the FCT minister knew those to whom the comment was directed.

“Well, I mean, he knows the people he’s referring to, honestly. As for me, I mean, you can’t say that in Zamfara State. The difference is very, very clear. I invite anybody to come and see what we’re doing in Zamfara State,” he said.