- A North-West governor has disclosed that the divisions between APC governors and President Tinubu are deepening ahead of 2027
- Vice President Kashim Shettima earlier noted that no fewer than five northern governors were openly backing Tinubu's re-election bid
- The governor identified three major grievances driving the split within the Progressive Governors' Forum ahead of the 2027 election
Tensions between President Bola Tinubu and governors elected on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform have deepened, with a sitting North-West governor saying the divisions within the Progressive Governors' Forum (PGF) are real and growing.
The governor, who is himself seeking a second term, said that efforts to project unity between the Presidency and APC governors are masking serious unresolved disagreements that could hurt the party's readiness for the 2027 general elections.
Source: Twitter
His comments come weeks after Vice President Kashim Shettima remarked that fewer than five northern governors were showing visible support for Tinubu's re-election. Shettima's media office later said he was referring to governors' posture during the lead-up to the 2022 APC presidential primary, but the North-West governor told The Guardian that the Vice President's words accurately describe the current mood within the PGF.
According to The Guardian, the governor said three specific issues are driving the divided loyalty among his northern colleagues.
El-Rufai's fate after supporting Tinubu
The first issue is the treatment of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, who actively campaigned for Tinubu's election but has since faced political difficulties. The governor said that watching el-Rufai's troubles unfold has sent a troubling message to other northern APC governors about the rewards of loyalty to the President.
Finance Ministry directive on LGA fund disbursements
The second grievance involves Tinubu's instruction to the Federal Ministry of Finance to publish details of fund disbursements to states. Many northern governors see this as a direct move against them, particularly regarding how local government council funds are managed. The public disclosure requirement is viewed as a form of pressure rather than routine transparency.
Tinubu's backing of Wike and the Rainbow Coalition
The third and, according to the governor, most damaging factor is Tinubu's open support for FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and his Rainbow Coalition. The governor described this as the final blow to an already fragile relationship between the PGF and the Presidency, saying it has confirmed fears among APC governors that the President is building alternative political alliances outside the party structure.
The governor also pointed to Tinubu's reaction upon returning from a recent foreign trip, during which the President expressed frustration that governors were not doing enough to communicate his administration's achievements to their constituents. That rebuke, the governor suggested, further soured the mood among his colleagues.
Legit.ng has previously reported on growing friction within the APC ahead of the 2027 elections, including tensions over the party's presidential primary process and the alignment of key political figures ahead of the polls.
Source: Twitter
Wike explains how APC governors failed Fubara
Legit.ng earlier reported that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike addressed tensions between himself and APC governors ahead of the 2027 election.
Wike, a PDP chieftain and former governor of Rivers, alleged the APC governors' grievances against him began when he was appointed Minister of the FCT.
The minister also linked the APC governors to the crisis between him and Rivers state governor Siminalayi Fubara.
Source: Legit.ng