Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has dismissed reports of an ongoing war between All Progressives Congress (APC) governors and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, over the emergence of a “Rainbow Coalition” backing President Bola Tinubu.

​Speaking live from New York on a TVC programme monitored by our correspondent on Tuesday, Governor Sule clarified that the APC Governors’ Forum is not seeking a confrontation with Wike or non-party allies supporting the President.

Instead, he revealed that the governors’ true grievance lies with internal APC members who engage in anti-party activities after losing primary elections, only to hide under the pretext of supporting the President to seek political appointments.

​”The discussion at our meeting was not to fight the coalition, but actually to coerce and inform the coalition that that is not the right way to go,” Sule stated.

He said; “We are pleading with the coalition; let them come and join us. Our focus was more on the area of those who are members of our party who are refusing to support the party locally”.

​Addressing the friction over cross-party support, Sule noted that while the APC welcomes broad political alignment for President Tinubu, party loyalty must remain paramount for registered APC members.

He pointed out that internal betrayals have played out in several states, including Kwara, Nasarawa, and Benue, where politicians lost APC primaries, fought the party at the state level, yet claimed loyalty to the President.

​”People will go, contest under APC, lose under APC, and now say, ‘Alright, we will support the President, but we will not support any other person.’ That’s the one I have a problem with,” Sule explained.

​Contrasting these internal defections with external political figures, the Nasarawa governor cited non-APC leaders like Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo of APGA and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord party, who maintain their party identities while supporting the President on national interest.

He stressed that bringing allies like Wike fully into the fold requires persuasion and lobbying rather than public hostility.

​”We are pleading with Minister Wike: ‘You are serving in our government. Come and be part of our government. Come and be a member of the APC.’ That’s what I’m saying. You can’t draw people into your party by fighting them,” he added.

​To de-escalate rising political tensions as the country counts down toward 2027, Governor Sule advocated for direct presidential intervention.

He suggested that President Tinubu convene a meeting with Minister Wike alongside key party leaders, including Kwara State Governor and Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) Chairman, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, as well as Imo State Governor and Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF) Chairman, Hope Uzodinma.

​”If the President calls Minister Wike and our leaders, the Governor of Kwara and the Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, His Excellency Hope Uzodinma and discusses with them, he can get the true picture of what is being said,” Sule urged.

He added; “It is not necessary to generate so much heat in the nation over something like this”. (The Nation)