Ima Niboro, spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council, has urged FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and APC governors to end their public exchanges and focus on mobilising support for President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 election.
Niboro made the call on Wednesday during an appearance on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, where he described the disagreement between Wike and the governors as a “quarrel among siblings.”
His comments followed Wike’s criticism of APC governors as “politically lazy” after they rejected his proposed cross-party coalition to mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
The chairman of the APC Progressive Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, had said APC governors would not support any political arrangement that could undermine the party or Tinubu’s re-election campaign.
Uzodimma said the governors remained committed to supporting APC candidates at all levels.
Wike subsequently questioned the political records of the governors, particularly Uzodimma’s ability to secure support for Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election.
The FCT minister also said his priority ahead of 2027 was to mobilise support for Tinubu rather than interfere in state-level politics.
‘Go and establish your authority’
Reacting to the exchanges, Niboro urged Wike and the APC governors to reduce their public rhetoric and concentrate on building their political structures and engaging voters.
“When I said tone down the rhetoric, I do not mean stop working. Stop talking, go and work,” he said.
Niboro said the continued public exchanges were not helping the political mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 election.
“All this shouting is not taking anybody anywhere. Go and work. Go and establish your authority on your political base,” he said.
He urged the politicians to take their engagement beyond television appearances and directly connect with voters at the grassroots.
“Get on the TV cameras. Go to the people. Go to the streets. Go to the marketplaces. Go and win the people.”
Niboro also criticised what he described as excessive rhetoric in the ongoing exchanges between Wike and the governors.
“Stop all this high-sounding grammar that they are blowing everywhere is not leading anybody anywhere. Go and work.”
The APC campaign spokesperson said his call was not for either Wike or the governors to abandon their political interests.
Rather, he said political leaders should demonstrate their influence by strengthening their structures and mobilising support among voters.
“If you’re a political leader, stop talking. Go and work. That is my point,” he said.
The comments come as political actors continue to position themselves and their structures ahead of the 2027 general election.
