A former aide to President Bola Tinubu, Denge Josef Onoh, has warned that the political activities of the Nyesom Wike-backed “Rainbow Coalition” could threaten the cohesion and survival of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Onoh, who served as the South-East spokesman for Tinubu and is Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, declared his support for the position of the Progressive Governors Forum against the coalition.
In a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, Onoh described the governors’ position, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, as a “courageous act of political preservation.”
He said he had previously raised concerns about the coalition, alleging that it was being presented as a support platform for Tinubu’s 2027 re-election while allegedly pursuing political interests capable of weakening the APC.
Onoh described the coalition as a “calculated Greek gift,” claiming that its activities could create parallel political structures within the ruling party.
According to him, supporting members of the Peoples Democratic Party to contest elections against recognised APC candidates would create divided loyalties and fuel internal rebellion within the ruling party.
“The APC is a structured institution with established constitutional guidelines. A non-member cannot operate a parallel political machine that dictates terms to the ruling party or undermines its official candidates,” he said.
The former presidential aide further alleged that the coalition’s political ambitions went beyond the 2027 elections.
He claimed that the platform was being positioned to build influence across several states and eventually become a bargaining bloc ahead of the 2031 elections.
Onoh said the alleged plan included influencing the 2031 vice-presidential ticket, when he argued that the presidency would return to the North and the vice presidency to the South.
He urged APC governors and leaders to protect the party’s structures and prevent opposition-backed political platforms from creating confusion within its ranks.
According to him, allowing such arrangements to continue could weaken local party chapters and undermine the APC’s campaign machinery ahead of the 2027 elections.
Onoh also described the protection of the South’s political interest ahead of 2031 as “non-negotiable,” warning against what he called attempts by individuals to dominate the process through personal political ambitions.
“We from the South will not allow our political future to be mortgaged by personal, predatory ambitions disguised as loyalty to the President,” he said.
He maintained that genuine support for Tinubu should be channelled through strengthening the APC rather than creating parallel political structures.
Onoh consequently commended the Progressive Governors Forum for what he described as drawing “a line in the sand,” urging APC leaders to preserve party discipline and ensure that loyal members remain at the centre of its political calculations.
However, Wike has rejected the suggestion that the Rainbow Coalition is an APC structure or that his support for Tinubu’s re-election amounts to an arrangement to help APC candidates win elections.
The FCT Minister, through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media, Lere Olayinka, said the coalition was made up of members of other political parties who were supporting Tinubu because of what they considered the achievements of his administration.
Wike also clarified that his support for Tinubu in 2027 was specifically for the President and did not extend to guaranteeing electoral victories for governors or other APC candidates.
He said he never promised that the PDP would refrain from fielding candidates for governorship, National Assembly or state assembly elections.
“The Rainbow Coalition has nothing to do with the APC,” Wike said, adding that he and other members of the G5 did not meet with the APC before supporting Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.
The minister said his position remained that of supporting Tinubu for another term, while political actors facing challenges in their respective states should resolve them locally.
“Politics is local and those having problems in their States should resolve them instead of using the reelection of the President to whip up sentiments,” he said.
