The political disagreement over the proposed Rainbow Coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections has intensified, with a group of lawyers in Imo State accusing Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of directing his criticism at Governor Hope Uzodinma rather than addressing the position of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum.

The group, known as Imo Lawyers for the Defence of Democracy, made the accusation on Friday while reacting to the increasingly public disagreement between Wike and Uzodinma.

Uzodinma, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), has been at the centre of the APC governors’ opposition to political arrangements outside the party’s official structure that could affect APC candidates in the 2027 elections.

At a meeting in Abuja on September 14, the APC governors said they would not participate in or support any political alliance capable of weakening the party or adversely affecting its candidates. Uzodinma subsequently said the governors’ campaign commitment remained focused on APC candidates at all levels.

Wike has rejected the suggestion that his Rainbow Coalition is intended to undermine the APC. He has maintained that the initiative is designed primarily to mobilise support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

According to Wike, his support for Tinubu does not prevent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) or other parties from presenting candidates for governorship and legislative elections.

The FCT minister has also criticised the APC governors over their opposition to the coalition, questioning their political performance and ability to mobilise votes for Tinubu.

In one of his recent remarks, Wike referred to Uzodinma’s emergence as Imo governor following the Supreme Court’s 2020 decision in the 2019 governorship dispute and questioned the APC’s performance in the state during the 2023 presidential election.

Wike has separately said he never approached the APC Governors’ Forum seeking an alliance, arguing that the governors’ rejection of the coalition was therefore misplaced.

However, the Imo lawyers said the APC Governors’ Forum, rather than Uzodinma personally, should be regarded as the institution with which Wike disagrees over the coalition.

The group’s secretary, Ifeoma Chukwunyere, said political disagreements should be handled through dialogue and democratic processes rather than personal exchanges between political actors.

The lawyers argued that the dispute has implications beyond the relationship between two politicians because it reflects competing political strategies ahead of the 2027 elections.

While the APC governors are seeking to maintain a unified party structure and support official APC candidates, Wike is promoting a cross-party political arrangement centred on support for Tinubu’s presidential bid.

The group therefore urged Wike to direct his disagreements to the APC Governors’ Forum instead of making Uzodinma the principal target of his criticism.

It also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to encourage restraint among the political actors involved, saying the dispute should not be allowed to create tension in Imo State.

The lawyers stressed that political disagreements were legitimate in a democracy but should remain focused on policies, political positions and verifiable facts.

The latest development comes as political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections continue to expose differences within and across Nigeria’s major political parties.

With Wike maintaining his support for Tinubu while remaining associated with the PDP, and the APC Governors’ Forum insisting on loyalty to the party’s candidates, the dispute over the Rainbow Coalition is increasingly becoming part of the broader contest over how political alliances will shape the 2027 elections.

For now, the two sides remain divided over whether the coalition represents a broader strategy to support Tinubu across party lines or a political arrangement that could create competing interests for the APC and its candidates.