The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, has dismissed suggestions of a rift between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and APC governors, saying both sides are united by their support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
Morka described the perceived disagreement as a “false battle”, arguing that Wike’s inclusion in the APC presidential campaign council does not conflict with the interests of governors elected on the party’s platform.
He spoke during an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, following the release of the campaign council list, which featured Wike despite earlier concerns about the APC governors’ position on collaboration with political groups outside the party.
According to Morka, the minister and the APC governors have a shared interest in securing another term for Tinubu, making the reported tension between them largely unnecessary.
“It was a false battle to begin with. I don’t think there was any real tension between those positions because they united in their extraordinary commitment to the re-election of the President,” he said.
Morka described Tinubu’s willingness to receive support from politicians across party lines as an example of multi-party collaboration, adding that political differences should not prevent individuals from backing the same candidate in an election.
He said Nigerians and political figures were free to support different parties in legislative, governorship and presidential elections, depending on their preferences.
The APC spokesman argued that candidates would ordinarily welcome votes from people who might support other political parties in separate contests, stressing that such decisions were part of democratic freedom.
“Anyone who is opposed to you, for whatever reason, decides to support you in any election—it doesn’t have to be the presidency, for any other category of elections—you know, people embrace votes,” Morka said.
He also clarified that Wike’s support for Tinubu was the minister’s personal political decision and not a directive from the President.
Although Wike remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Morka said his decision to mobilise support for Tinubu was within his constitutional rights.
He added that the President was not responsible for deciding how Wike or his supporters would vote, insisting that their political choices remained theirs to make.
On whether Wike could retain a position in the Federal Government if Tinubu wins another term, Morka said the President had the authority to determine who would serve in his administration.
He explained that any appointments made after the 2027 election would be at Tinubu’s discretion and guided by what he considered to be the country’s best interests.
Morka further rejected suggestions that Wike’s participation in the campaign council had exposed divisions within the APC. He noted that the minister had served in Tinubu’s government for nearly four years despite belonging to an opposition party.
“There are no cracks and no concern in that manner,” he said.
The APC spokesman expressed confidence that Tinubu would secure re-election, arguing that the administration’s policies and activities across different sectors would form the basis of its campaign message to Nigerians.
Morka described the President’s leadership as a significant effort to reposition the country and said the party would highlight the administration’s achievements during the campaign.
He added that Tinubu would travel across the country to present his re-election agenda and seek the support of voters ahead of the 2027 presidential election.