Arise News Director and Politics Editor, Sumner Sambo, has called on President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the ongoing political disagreement between Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma.
Sambo made the call during an appearance on Arise News on Tuesday, saying the disagreement between Wike and the APC governors had increasingly taken the form of a personal political dispute.
The APC governors, led by Uzodinma, had recently distanced themselves from Wike’s Rainbow Coalition, further exposing the political differences between the FCT minister and the governors ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Wike subsequently criticised the position of the governors, insisting that the Rainbow Coalition was separate from the APC.
He also maintained that he had consistently supported Tinubu’s re election and alleged that the disagreement stemmed from attempts by the APC governors to impose candidates on his political camp.
Sambo said the situation was becoming increasingly difficult for Wike, particularly with governors of the governing party openly opposing his political position.
“Indeed, for the election, it’s a very difficult time for him [Wike], and I understand when all the governors of the governing party are standing up against you. It can’t be easy,” he said.
He noted that Wike had played a significant role in supporting Tinubu and argued that the President should take his political influence and experience into consideration.
“But what I would say is that I think the President, having seen the effort that Wike has put in supporting him, wouldn’t also want to discountenance the support that he brings, especially because he brings a whole wealth of experience politically, in terms of governance and all of that,” Sambo stated.
The analyst, however, expressed concern over the direction of the dispute, saying it was beginning to appear like a personal political confrontation between Wike and Uzodinma.
“But the angle the fight is actually going to is what I don’t really think it should, and that’s where the President needs to step in because it begins to look like a personal political fight between himself and Governor Uzodinma,” he said.
Sambo also acknowledged the political responsibilities facing Uzodinma as chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum and a prominent figure within the APC’s campaign structure.
He said the situation was complicated by the internal political challenges within the APC, noting that Uzodinma had maintained that he had the capacity to manage his responsibilities.
Sambo further argued that the public confrontation involving the APC governors was an indication that tensions within the ruling party required presidential intervention.
“I think that they couldn’t have come out openly in the way they did. I think it’s beginning to show the weaknesses of President Tinubu himself, that he is unable to call these two people together,” he said.
He urged Tinubu to use his political influence to reduce tensions between the two camps and questioned whether the recent release of the INEC candidate list had contributed to the latest escalation.
Sambo also noted that Wike had candidates contesting senatorial and House of Representatives seats under the Rainbow Coalition in several states, saying the development could have implications for the political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections.
