2027: ‘You can’t be on two sides’ — Zamfara gov tackles Wike

Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has asked Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to clarify his political allegiance ahead of the 2027 elections, saying support for President Bola Tinubu should not be separated from support for the All Progressives Congress.

Lawal made the call during an interview with Channels Television’s Inside Sources on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The governor was reacting to Wike’s continued promotion of the Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party platform through which the FCT minister has said he intends to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.

Wike has maintained that the coalition is separate from the APC and that his support for Tinubu does not prevent the Peoples Democratic Party or other parties from fielding candidates for governorship and legislative elections.

Lawal, however, said Wike could not simultaneously support Tinubu at the presidential level and back candidates from other parties in the same election cycle.

“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,” Lawal said.

Asked whether the APC governors wanted Wike to join the party, Lawal replied, “Exactly. What’s the essence?”

He said he intended to discuss the issue with Tinubu, arguing that Wike’s political affiliation should be clearly defined.

“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 follows a recent exchange between Wike and APC governors over the Rainbow Coalition.

The Progressive Governors Forum has said APC governors would not support political arrangements they believe could weaken the party or its candidates in the 2027 elections. Wike, in response, has maintained that his coalition is designed specifically to mobilise support for Tinubu and does not constitute an APC structure.

Wike has also argued that supporting a presidential candidate does not require politicians to support the same party’s candidates in governorship and legislative contests, citing the experience of the G5 governors during the 2023 elections.

Lawal also responded to Wike’s earlier description of some APC governors as “lazy”, saying the FCT minister was aware of the individuals he was referring to.

“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.

The disagreement has added another layer to negotiations and alignments among political actors ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly over how support for the presidential contest will intersect with governorship and legislative races.