Tinubu: Abdulmumin Jibrin backs Wike, tells APC governors to work with FCT minister

“If anybody at the subnational level feels it may work against him or his interest, they should discuss with Wike,” said Mr Jibrin.

Victor Olorunfemi • September 17, 2026

APC governors and Wike

Former House of Representatives member Abdulmumin Jibrin has thrown his weight behind Federal Capital Territory’s minister, Nyesom Wike, amid his dispute with the All Progressives Congress Governors’ Forum.

“The entire coalition that he is doing is for the president. If anybody at the subnational level feels it may work against him or his interest, they should discuss with Wike. But I do not think Wike should be embarrassed by statements,” the former lawmaker said, addressing the matter in an interview on Channels TV on Wednesday.

Mr Jibrin also mentioned that every APC member directly or indirectly benefited from Mr Wike’s association with Mr Tinubu.

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

Governor Hope Uzodimma, speaking on behalf of all APC governors at the meeting, added that the ruling party would not entertain any political arrangements that could fuel divided loyalty in the APC and jeopardise Mr Tinubu’s reelection in 2027.

“There is no APC member in Nigeria today that has not directly or indirectly benefited from the efforts of Wike, so long as delivering the President, also managing the government, and also performing his work, there is nobody,” Mr Jibrin pointed out.

Mr Jibrin also praised Mr Wike as an asset to the APC, saying the former governor has sacrificed a lot for the president, including Rivers state, and warned that he must not be subjected to public ridicule.

“Wike is an asset to the APC. I don’t think Wike should be embarrassed at this moment with public statements. Wike is an asset to APC. He has sacrificed so much for the president and the APC,” Mr Jibrin noted. “I believe that Wike has sacrificed; he handed over Rivers to APC. Wike had candidates for the FCT election but asked them to step down for APC. Wike came into this government as a government of national unity. In reality, we should be fair to him. He has done far more than that.”

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