Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has publicly clarified that he maintains a cordial relationship with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and sees nothing wrong with the Rainbow Coalition, the cross-party platform linked to the minister that is backing President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Aiyedatiwa emphasised that while his political loyalty in Ondo State remains firmly with the All Progressives Congress (APC), personal and political relationships cut across party lines.
“In my state, it is APC all the way. That does not mean that I don’t have a relationship with Wike. I don’t have any problem with Wike,” the governor said.
He described politics as a game of interests, relationships and alliances, arguing that the Rainbow Coalition should be viewed in the same light as the numerous support groups already campaigning for Tinubu’s second term.
“Politics is about interest, relationships, alliances if you like. So, Rainbow Coalition being led by His Excellency Honourable Minister Nyesom Wike, there is nothing wrong in having coalition or alliances… There is freedom of association… if Rainbow Coalition is also in form of a support group too for the president, what is wrong in that? Nothing,” Aiyedatiwa stated.
The comments come against the backdrop of opposition from the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF), which has rejected the idea of APC members joining the cross-party arrangement, warning that it could undermine Tinubu’s re-election chances. Despite the PGF’s stance, Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has continued to insist that securing victory for the President in 2027 remains his top political priority.
Aiyedatiwa’s intervention is being seen as an attempt to calm tensions within the ruling party while affirming the legitimacy of multi-party support structures ahead of the next presidential contest.
