The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the reported rejection by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum of the political support being offered by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a sign of growing anxiety within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 elections.

The party said the APC governors should be more concerned about their records in office and the expectations of their constituents than attempting to determine whom Wike should support politically.

In a statement on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, the PDP said Wike had a constitutional and democratic right to decide whom he would support, stressing that his backing of Tinubu did not amount to an endorsement of the APC or require him to abandon his political identity and relationships within the PDP.

According to the party, the APC governors initially misconstrued Wike’s support for Tinubu as an endorsement of the ruling party but were now beginning to realise that supporting the President did not mean abandoning the PDP or surrendering the political space to the APC.

The PDP maintained that the governors’ reported demand that Wike should neither support nor field candidates capable of challenging them and their preferred candidates in 2027 was a fundamental political miscalculation.

“Elections are contests, and every political party has the democratic right to present candidates before the electorate,” the party stated.

It argued that the opposition to Wike’s political support was driven by fear that the performance of the APC governors would be subjected to greater scrutiny during the elections.

The party said it was particularly curious that governors who claimed to be confident of their achievements were allegedly asking their opponents not to field candidates against them.

“If they have truly performed and retained the confidence of their people, they should welcome a contest and allow the electorate to decide,” the statement added.

The PDP further claimed that it had stabilised and successfully positioned itself to field candidates across elective positions capable of challenging APC governors and their anointed candidates in 2027.

It said Wike’s political influence could not be wished away, citing his record as former governor of Rivers State and his current role as FCT minister, where it said he had demonstrated capacity for project delivery, political organisation and electoral mobilisation.

The opposition party consequently dismissed the suggestion that Wike constituted a liability to Tinubu’s political project, arguing that his support could instead contribute significantly to the President’s electoral prospects.

“The Hon. Minister of the FCT is not a liability to President Tinubu’s political project. He is undoubtedly an asset, a mobiliser and a force capable of contributing significantly to electoral victory,” it said.

The PDP also questioned whether the APC governors were genuinely committed to securing Tinubu’s victory in 2027 or were primarily interested in protecting their own political fortunes.

“A governor who truly wants the President to win should welcome every credible political force capable of contributing to that victory,” the party stated.

It urged the governors to concentrate on governance, accountability and performance rather than attempting to dictate Wike’s political choices.

The party also challenged the governors to account for the resources accruing to their states through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and ensure that local governments receive funds due to them without undue interference.

According to the PDP, Nigerians would ultimately determine the fate of political office holders through their votes, regardless of political manoeuvring ahead of the elections.

“At the appropriate time, Nigerians will decide with their votes. Those who have performed will present their records, while those who have failed will face the judgment of the electorate,” it said.

The party warned the APC governors against underestimating Wike’s political capacity, stressing that attempts to ignore his influence could carry political consequences.

“Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike is a force to reckon with, not a force to reject. Those who underestimate his capacity do so at their own political peril,” the PDP declared.

It, however, insisted that it would not be intimidated into abandoning the electoral field, pledging to field credible candidates and mobilise Nigerians for the 2027 elections.

“We will field credible candidates, mobilise Nigerians and offer the electorate a genuine alternative come 2027,” the party said.