Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has identified the Imo and Kwara state governors, Hope Uzodinma and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, respectively, as All Progressives Congress governors allegedly working against him.
Wike made the allegation during a media chat in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
He also rejected claims that his political activities were targeted at frustrating or undermining APC governors.
The minister’s comments come amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Although Wike remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, he has openly backed President Bola Tinubu’s bid to secure another term in office.
His political relationship with some APC governors has therefore continued to generate interest, particularly as politicians from different parties align themselves with emerging political blocs ahead of 2027.
Wike’s most pointed criticism was aimed at AbdulRazaq, whom he alleged had been spearheading a campaign against him within 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.
The FCT minister alleged that AbdulRazaq had accused him of backing politicians opposed to the governor’s preferred candidates in Kwara State.
Wike, however, argued that the governor ought to recognise his contribution to providing a political platform for dissatisfied APC members who defected to the PDP.
He explained that the politicians could have aligned with the broader coalition against Tinubu but instead chose to remain within the PDP, which he described as an indication of the political space he had offered them.
The allegation comes amid heightened political manoeuvring within the Kwara APC over the succession battle ahead of the 2027 elections.
AbdulRazaq, who is currently serving his second term as governor, has remained at the centre of competing interests over who will succeed him in office.
A number of APC governorship aspirants had previously expressed concerns about the party’s direction in the state, while the G15 group of APC stakeholders later launched a public challenge against AbdulRazaq’s control of the party structure.
The political struggle has also resulted in rival endorsements, as different factions within the party continue to support their preferred contenders for the 2027 governorship race.
In August, the Coalition of Kwara APC Young Stakeholders and Supporters endorsed Speaker Salisu Yakubu Danladi as its preferred candidate and also expressed confidence in AbdulRazaq’s administration.
Wike’s allegation against Uzodinma was comparatively less elaborate but remained explicit.
“Governor Hope, he knows the support I give to him,” he said, recalling that the Imo governor had previously refused to support him.
The political relationship between the two men has at various times involved cooperation, with Wike publicly defending Uzodinma following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Emeka Ihedioha’s election as Imo governor in 2020.
The latest development comes as Uzodinma continues to play a significant role in the APC’s political calculations in the South-East, while Wike has sustained his support for Tinubu despite remaining officially affiliated with the opposition PDP.
Wike, however, said the political disagreements would not derail his determination to support Tinubu’s bid for another term.
He maintained that individual political differences would not change his position or commitment to the president’s re-election campaign.
The former Rivers State governor also challenged his critics to point to the support they had offered him when he faced political challenges.
He insisted that he had consistently made his political intentions clear and had never concealed his positions from the public.
“Any Nigerian who knows me knows that I have never hidden my intention,” Wike said.
