The All Progressives Congress leadership in the South-East has endorsed the Progressive Governors’ Forum’s position calling on APC candidates to receive the party’s support in the 2027 general elections.

The APC leaders also rejected the “rainbow (chameleon) coalition” in the South-East, warning that the party would resist any attempt to undermine its structures in the region.

The position was contained in a joint statement signed by the APC National Vice Chairman (South-East), Ijeomah Arodiogbu and the party chairmen in Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states, on Thursday.

“It is more troubling that Wike’s growing tendency to insult, diminish and plot to remove sitting Progressive Governors in 2027 is increasing each day.

“We in the South East stand solidly with all Progressive Governors and candidates of our party at all levels in the forthcoming 2027 elections,” the statement said.

The APC Governors’ Forum, in a meeting on Monday, declared that the ruling party would not support any candidate from Rainbow Coalition, which FCT Minister Nyesom Wike described as an interparty political alliance to work for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu.

However, Mr Wike lashed out at the governors, insisting Mr Tinubu was aware of his political arrangement.

The APC leaders condemned Mr Wike’s attacks on members of the forum, describing the remarks as “most unfortunate, reprehensible and completely unacceptable.”

According to the leaders, Mr Wike’s criticisms were directed at governors who delivered significant development in their respective states and secured more than 25 per cent of the presidential votes in their states in the 2023 election.

“Progressive Governors are not abstract politicians; they are performing leaders whose records speak for themselves,” the statement said.

The APC South-East leadership further accused Mr Wike of seeking to influence the political fortunes of sitting APC governors ahead of the 2027 elections, arguing that no minister should assume authority over elected governors.

The leaders called on the minister to withdraw his attacks on the governors and return to “party discipline, mutual respect and collective responsibility,” urging APC members to support the party’s candidates in the 2027 elections.