Wike’s Rainbow Coalition Threat to APC Survival, Cohesion — Onoh

Former South-East spokesman to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Denge Josef Onoh, has backed the reported opposition of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) to an alliance with the “Rainbow Coalition” associated with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Onoh, in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, described the coalition as a potential threat to the survival and cohesion of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He expressed “total solidarity” with the PGF, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, over what he described as its decision to reject the coalition.

According to Onoh, the governors’ position amounted to a “courageous act of political preservation,” noting that he had previously warned against the activities of the coalition.

He alleged that the “Rainbow Coalition” was not a benevolent political arrangement but a “calculated Greek gift” presented under the guise of supporting President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

Onoh further claimed that the coalition’s structure was designed to weaken the APC by creating parallel political structures and supporting members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to contest against recognised APC candidates.

He warned that tolerating such activities could lead to internal rebellion, divided loyalties and further weaken 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.

Onoh also alleged that the coalition’s ambitions extended beyond the 2027 general election, claiming that it was being positioned to build political influence across several states.

He claimed that its alleged long-term objective was to create a strong bargaining platform for the 2031 vice-presidential ticket, when, according to him, the presidency would return to the North and the vice presidency to the South.

The former Enugu lawmaker urged APC governors and leaders to protect the party’s institutional structure, arguing that allowing opposition-backed political structures to field candidates would create confusion, destabilise local party chapters and weaken the APC’s campaign machinery.

He also described the protection of what he called the South’s political interest ahead of 2031 as “non-negotiable,” warning against allowing an individual 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,” Onoh said.

He argued that genuine support for Tinubu should be demonstrated by strengthening the APC rather than creating parallel factions within or around the ruling party.

Onoh commended the Progressive Governors for what he described as drawing “a line in the sand” and urged the APC to remain a disciplined political institution that rewards loyal members.

He further warned against “outsourcing” the party’s future to political actors he described as opportunists operating under the banner of the “Rainbow Coalition.”

His comments come amid growing political disagreements within the ruling party and broader realignments ahead of the 2027 general election.