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2027: Join APC to Back Tinubu, Lawal Tells Wike
Dauda Lawal challenges Nyesom Wike to join APC if he wants to support Tinubu’s 2027 re-election, deepening the dispute over the Rainbow Coalition
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has challenged Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike to join the All Progressives Congress, APC, or withdraw from the Rainbow Coalition if he intends to support President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election while backing candidates from other parties.
Also read: Oyo 2027: Inside the Alli-Adedeji Ticket and the ‘2 for 1’ Strategy
Lawal made the remarks during an interview with Channels Television’s Inside Sources on Thursday, September 24, 2026, on the sidelines of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The governor said the position of APC governors on Wike’s cross-party political platform remained unchanged, arguing that political allegiance should be clearly defined ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Our message is very, very clear: Be on one side. You can’t be in two sides,” Lawal said.
The Zamfara governor said Wike could not simultaneously support Tinubu’s presidential bid and promote candidates from other political parties in governorship and legislative contests.
“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,” Lawal added.
When asked whether the APC governors were effectively asking Wike to join the ruling party, Lawal responded, “Exactly. What’s the essence?”
Lawal also said he intended to raise Wike’s political position with Tinubu, stressing the need for clarity over where the FCT minister stands ahead of the election.
“It’s either he’s in APC or he’s out. It’s simple. And I go with my brothers, the governors,” he said.
The dispute centres on Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, a cross-party platform he has promoted as a vehicle for mobilising support for Tinubu’s re-election.
Wike has repeatedly maintained that his support for Tinubu does not amount to backing APC candidates in every other contest.
In a statement issued earlier in September, he said the coalition was separate from the APC and that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, remained free to field candidates for governorship and legislative elections.
Wike has also defended the arrangement by pointing to the 2023 election, when he and other members of the G5, then serving as PDP governors, supported Tinubu’s presidential bid while remaining outside the APC.
The FCT minister has argued that supporting a presidential candidate does not require politicians to abandon their parties or support the same party’s candidates in state and legislative elections.
APC governors have taken a different position. The Progressive Governors Forum has said it would support Tinubu and APC candidates in the 2027 elections, while expressing concern over political arrangements that could weaken the party’s structures.
The disagreement has continued to sharpen as political groups prepare for the 2027 elections, with questions over whether cross-party support for Tinubu can coexist with separate party structures and candidates at state level.
Wike has also criticised some APC governors over their opposition to the coalition, while alleging that their concerns are connected to political influence beyond the presidential election.
Those governors have rejected the characterisation and maintained their focus on the APC’s candidates and structures.
Lawal, for his part, dismissed Wike’s criticism of some APC governors as being directed at people the minister knows personally.
“Well, I mean, he knows the people he’s referring to, honestly,” Lawal said, adding that the difference in Zamfara was clear and inviting people to assess his administration’s work in the state.
Also read: Oyo 2027: Inside the Alli-Adedeji Ticket and the ‘2 for 1’ Strategy
The latest exchange adds another layer to the growing debate within Tinubu’s political camp over how support for the President should be organised ahead of 2027, particularly where supporters retain affiliations with opposition parties.
News
NSCDC CG Visits Minna for 7-Day Fidau Prayer of Deceased Miners, Reaffirms Commitment to Justice
The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, alongside his management team and other selected officers, on Thursday, the 24th of September, visited Minna, Niger State, to observe the 7-day Fidau prayer for the deceased miners who died in the Corps’ custody.
During the visit, the CG also met with His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Umar Farouk Bahago, at his Minna Palace, the parents of the deceased and the family of the survivors. The visit was aimed at commiserating directly with the affected families during this period of grief. During the interaction, the CG strongly condoled with the families and gave a firm assurance that the Corps will not shield anyone found culpable, emphasising that justice and transparency will take precedence.
Speaking during the visit at the Emir’s palace, the CG reiterated his unwavering stance on ensuring that justice is served in the tragic incident that claimed the lives of 37 suspected illegal miners. He stated that the Corps would not shield any personnel found culpable, emphasising that transparency and accountability would guide the entire process. “I want to assure you of my unwavering support for the investigative panel in unravelling the truth. I am here commiserating with you on behalf of the NSCDC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR and the Minister for Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. The incident is quite unfortunate but I assure you that justice must prevail. Anybody found wanting in the course of the findings will be prosecuted in line with the laws of the land. We won’t protect anybody and everyone found culpable will face the music.”
The CG, who joined the bereaved families and community members in prayers for the repose of the souls of the deceased, described the incident as a painful loss and assured the families that the Corps would stand by them throughout the period of mourning. He also condoled with the Emir of Minna, acknowledging the traditional ruler’s fatherly role in the community and seeking his continued support and prayers.
Addressing the broader steps being taken to uncover the truth, the CG noted that the Federal Government, under the directive of the Presidency, has constituted a high-powered investigative committee to probe the incident. He assured the public that the NSCDC is fully cooperating with the panel, noting that relevant personnel have already been placed in protective custody to make them fully available for a transparent investigation process.
Highlighting the cultural and spiritual significance of the third and seventh-day prayers for the departed, the CG explained that his visit was also to join the Muslim faithful in offering prayers for the repose of the soul of the deceased and strength for the bereaved families.
Responding on behalf of the traditional institution and the families, His Royal Highness expressed appreciation to the Commandant General for the swift administrative actions taken, for cooperating with the Presidential committee, and for deeming it fit to personally visit and identify with the community in their moment of grief.
As a mark of mourning and accountability, the NSCDC flag has been ordered to fly at half-mast across all formations for three days. The Corps awaits autopsy results to determine the exact cause of death.
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