A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Farouk Aliyu, has said the ruling party will not condone conduct capable of causing division within its ranks by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike.
Farouk stated this while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday.
Wike, who is serving in the APC-led Federal Government while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has recently criticised some APC governors, describing them as “lazy” and “419ners.”
He has also been promoting a Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Reacting to Wike’s comments, Farouk said the APC would not tolerate such conduct simply because the FCT minister had previously engaged in similar disagreements with the PDP.
“Well, you see, I am not personally attacking Wike as a person, no.
“When Wike was doing that to his party, PDP, that’s his party really, but now this is our own party.
“So just because he did it to his party, you think we should condone doing it to our party? No, we will not condone it. Certainly, we will not.
“Whoever thinks that because Wike did that to his party, then we should allow him to do it to our party, we, as a party, shall not allow these kind of things to happen,” he said.
Farouk added that he expected Tinubu to intervene in the disagreement and speak with Wike and other APC leaders over the matter.
He also dismissed suggestions that party members were opposed to Wike’s appointment as FCT minister, saying he believed the minister had performed well in office.
“And Mr. President is going to come back. Mr. President will have to certainly decide. I’m sure he will speak to Wike. He will speak to also our leaders. That look, we don’t need these things in public.
“I am not aware that anybody is against him being appointed minister. Yes, I heard him saying that.
“We are happy with him being a minister because I don’t think in this country there has ever been a minister of FCT that has done what Wike has done or is doing.
“So we are happy with his performance absolutely, and he, as a minister, he’s been compensated with that position, and position of FCT minister is good and huge compensation in a political setting of this country.
“We are not quarrelling with that. He is compensated, and then of course there will be rivalry. Some people may not be happy with him, and so on.
“I and so many of us are not part of those that are not happy with Wike, or because he became a minister of the FCT.
“It is true Wike also helped us to bring Rivers and also FCT at the last election,” he added.
The comments came amid growing differences between Wike and some APC leaders over political arrangements ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Chairman of the APC’s Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, had on Monday night said APC governors would not support any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election or weakening the ruling party ahead of 2027.
