Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has thrown his weight behind the Rainbow Coalition associated with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, saying there is nothing wrong with the cross-party arrangement supporting President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Aiyedatiwa spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday while responding to questions about the coalition and his relationship with Wike.
The governor, however, maintained that his political allegiance in Ondo remained firmly with the All Progressives Congress.
‘In my state, it is APC all the way, that does not mean that I don’t have relationship with Wike. I don’t have any problem with Wike,’ he said.
Aiyedatiwa said politics was built around interests, relationships and alliances, arguing that politicians were free to associate with platforms that reflected their objectives.
‘Politics is about interest, relationships, alliances if you like,’ he said.
‘So, Rainbow Coalition being led by His Excellency Honourable Minister Nyesom Wike, there is nothing wrong in having coalition or alliances. It’s all about interests, who wants to be part of that, you choose.’
He likened the Rainbow Coalition to other political support groups backing Tinubu.
‘There is freedom of association of being a member of one group, coalition or another just as we have a lot of support groups supporting the president.
‘So, if Rainbow Coalition is also in form of a support group too for the president, what is wrong in that? Nothing.’
Aiyedatiwa’s position contrasts with that of the Progressives Governors Forum, which has rejected the idea of APC members participating in a cross-party political arrangement.
Wike has repeatedly maintained that his priority in 2027 is Tinubu’s re-election, while insisting that the Rainbow Coalition was not created to weaken the APC or other political parties.