By Iroyin Yoruba Television
Minister of Works David Umahi has dismissed reports of serious divisions within the All Progressives Congress, saying the party needs the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Umahi made the declaration on Wednesday, October 7, during a press conference in Abuja where he addressed the Federal Government's infrastructure projects and developments across the country.
The minister was asked about reports suggesting political disagreements between him and Wike and whether the differences could affect the APC's preparations for the 2027 elections.
Umahi rejected the suggestion that his relationship with Wike had broken down, describing the FCT minister as a progressive and insisting that both men remained members of the same political family.
He said political differences had been exaggerated by opponents seeking to create the impression of a serious division within the ruling party.
The statement comes at a critical period for the APC as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Wike has become an important figure in the political calculations surrounding President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election campaign.
Although Wike remains associated with the Peoples Democratic Party politically, he has served as a minister in the Tinubu administration and has openly supported the President's bid for another term.
His Rainbow Coalition has also been involved in efforts to mobilise politicians and supporters from different political parties behind Tinubu's presidential campaign.
That political arrangement has generated disagreements among some APC members, particularly over whether support for Tinubu should be separated from support for APC candidates contesting governorship and legislative elections.
The disagreement has become particularly relevant in states where politicians associated with the coalition have different political interests from established APC structures.
Umahi's comments suggest that he does not regard the political differences as sufficient reason to sever his relationship with Wike.
Instead, he presented cooperation among political actors as necessary for the broader objective of strengthening support for the Federal Government and the President ahead of 2027.
The minister said the relationship between him and Wike remained intact despite attempts to portray them as being in conflict.
His position is significant because both men occupy prominent positions in the Tinubu administration and have substantial political influence.
Wike is responsible for the Federal Capital Territory, while Umahi heads the Federal Ministry of Works, one of the government's major infrastructure ministries.
Both ministers also have extensive political backgrounds.
Umahi previously served as governor of Ebonyi State and was a senior figure in the Peoples Democratic Party before defecting to the APC.
Wike served as governor of Rivers State before becoming a minister under Tinubu.
Their political histories have made their relationship a subject of considerable interest as the 2027 election approaches.
Umahi said the political relationship should not be interpreted through the lens of rumours and disagreements generated by opponents.
He argued that politicians could have different views on political strategies without necessarily becoming enemies.
The minister's comments also come against the backdrop of the Rainbow Coalition's activities in Rivers State and other parts of the country.
The coalition has been associated with efforts to mobilise political support for Tinubu's re-election while allowing politicians to retain different positions regarding state and legislative elections.
That strategy has attracted criticism from some APC leaders who are concerned that political mobilisation for Tinubu could conflict with the interests of APC candidates at other levels.
The debate has become particularly pronounced in the South-East.
Some APC leaders in the region have expressed opposition to political arrangements that they believe could weaken the party's candidates.
Umahi, however, has continued to argue for broader political cooperation rather than sectional or regional confrontation.
During Wednesday's press conference, he called for a stronger national political outlook and urged politicians to move beyond regional politics.
He said the South-East should seek greater cooperation with other parts of Nigeria and work towards a political arrangement based on mutual support.
The minister linked this argument to what he described as increased Federal Government infrastructure investment in the South-East.
According to Umahi, the region is no longer being excluded from major federal infrastructure initiatives.
He acknowledged that the South-East may not have the largest volume of Federal Government projects compared with other regions, but argued that it was no longer at the bottom of the national infrastructure programme.
He pointed to several major projects as evidence of the change.
Among the projects he mentioned were road developments and infrastructure initiatives designed to improve connectivity within the South-East and between the region and other parts of Nigeria.
Umahi also referred to the Second Niger Bridge and associated bypass projects as examples of federal investment in the region.
He argued that infrastructure development could serve as a bridge between different parts of the country by improving trade, transportation and economic interaction.
His comments therefore combined political messaging with a defence of the Tinubu administration's infrastructure record.
The minister's position is that the Federal Government has increased attention to the South-East and that residents should recognise the investments being made.
He encouraged greater political cooperation between the South-East and other regions, arguing that political support should be reciprocal.
His statement was made against the background of broader political discussions about regional voting patterns and the 2027 presidential election.
The South-East has historically presented a difficult electoral environment for the APC at presidential level.
The party therefore faces the challenge of increasing its support in the region ahead of the next election.
Umahi's comments appear aimed partly at strengthening the argument that political cooperation with the Tinubu administration can produce greater federal investment.
The minister also discussed the wider infrastructure programme inherited by the current administration.
He said the Ministry of Works inherited more than 2,000 ongoing projects valued at approximately N13 trillion.
The scale of the inherited projects, according to Umahi, demonstrates the extent of Nigeria's infrastructure deficit.
He said the government was working to address the backlog through a combination of funding, project supervision and construction.
Umahi also defended government borrowing for infrastructure projects, arguing that borrowing can be justified when funds are invested in projects capable of generating economic returns.
His argument was that infrastructure should not simply be viewed as expenditure but as investment when properly planned and executed.
He said roads and other infrastructure could stimulate economic activity by reducing transportation costs and improving connectivity.
The minister also provided updates on several major highway projects.
He defended the government's approach to the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, saying the procurement process complied with the relevant legal requirements.
He explained that different procurement methods are permitted under Nigerian law, including open competitive tendering, selective tendering and special procurement.
According to Umahi, special procurement was adopted for the initial phase of the coastal highway because of the technical complexity of the project and the need for specialised coastal engineering expertise.
He said the process received the necessary approvals from the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Federal Executive Council.
The minister also spoke about the government's intervention on the Asaba-Benin road.
He said the ministry had launched what it described as an "Operation Rescue" effort following difficulties associated with the road's concession arrangement.
The government, he said, had intervened in several sections of the road to restore movement while plans were being developed for a broader reconstruction programme.
Umahi also highlighted progress on the Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria-Kano road.
He said the first 119-kilometre section had been completed, while work on another 164-kilometre section was expected to reach completion later in the year.
The minister used the various projects to reinforce his argument that the Tinubu administration was making significant investments in infrastructure.
The political significance of those projects is important because infrastructure delivery has increasingly become part of the ruling party's campaign narrative ahead of 2027.
The APC is expected to campaign on the administration's record in areas including roads, transportation, energy and economic development.
Opposition parties, meanwhile, are expected to challenge the government's claims and focus attention on issues such as living costs, unemployment and the broader economic pressures facing Nigerians.
Umahi's comments therefore serve both a policy and political purpose.
By defending the administration's infrastructure programme while also dismissing reports of division within the APC, he is presenting the government as both active in development and politically cohesive.
His comments about Wike are particularly important because the FCT minister remains a politically influential figure whose support for Tinubu has attracted politicians from different political backgrounds.
The ruling party's ability to accommodate such political alliances could influence its performance in the 2027 election.
At the same time, disagreements over political arrangements could create tensions if politicians believe their interests or candidates are being threatened.
Umahi's call for unity therefore comes at a time when the APC is attempting to balance different political interests while preparing for a major national election.
The minister's message is that disagreements should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of a party crisis.
He believes politicians can maintain relationships while holding different opinions about political strategies.
This approach could become increasingly important as the election draws closer.
The APC will need to manage relationships between national leaders, governors, ministers, lawmakers and political groups operating at state level.
Any major breakdown among influential figures could affect grassroots mobilisation.
On the other hand, successful reconciliation and cooperation could strengthen the party's ability to coordinate its campaign.
The relationship between Umahi and Wike is therefore likely to remain a subject of political attention.
Both men have significant networks and have demonstrated their ability to influence political developments beyond their current government positions.
Their continued cooperation could be valuable to the APC's broader political strategy.
Umahi's statement also provides an indication that he does not intend to allow differences over the Rainbow Coalition to damage his relationship with Wike.
He described the relationship as one within the same political family and rejected suggestions that political disagreements had destroyed it.
The minister also warned politicians seeking to campaign in Ebonyi State against using inflammatory language.
He said political campaigns should be allowed but warned against hate speech and attempts to create crisis.
The warning reflects wider concerns about political rhetoric as Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections.
Campaigns are expected to become increasingly intense, particularly in states where political parties are closely matched.
The ability of political leaders to prevent campaign disagreements from becoming violence will therefore remain important.
For Umahi, the preferred approach appears to be political competition without destabilising the state.
He maintained that nobody should be allowed to use political campaigns as a platform to create crisis in Ebonyi.
The minister's comments consequently combine three themes: maintaining political relationships, defending the Tinubu administration's infrastructure record and encouraging national rather than sectional political cooperation.
All three issues are likely to feature prominently in Nigeria's political debate as 2027 approaches.
For the APC, the immediate significance of Umahi's statement is that one of its senior figures has publicly rejected the narrative of a serious internal split involving Wike.
His declaration that the party needs Wike could also be interpreted as an appeal for greater accommodation of the FCT minister within the wider political structure supporting Tinubu.
Whether other APC leaders share that view remains part of the ongoing political debate.
The Rainbow Coalition will also continue to attract attention as political actors assess its effect on the ruling party's electoral strategy.
The coalition's ability to bring together politicians from different parties could potentially expand Tinubu's support base.
However, its activities may also create tensions if state-level APC candidates believe coalition arrangements could affect their own campaigns.
Managing that balance will be one of the challenges facing the ruling party before the election.
Umahi's intervention therefore comes at a moment when political alliances are being tested and reshaped.
His insistence that Wike remains part of the political family suggests that he favours cooperation rather than confrontation.
For now, there is no indication from his comments that his relationship with Wike has broken down.
Instead, he has presented the relationship as stable and argued that political opponents have exaggerated differences between them.
As Nigeria moves closer to 2027, such relationships will continue to influence political calculations across the country.
The APC's ability to maintain unity while accommodating politicians with different backgrounds and political strategies could be a major factor in its campaign.
Umahi's latest comments are therefore more than a personal clarification.
They form part of a wider political conversation about how the ruling party can maintain cohesion, expand its support base and manage competing interests ahead of the next general election.
For now, the Works Minister's message is clear: despite political disagreements and competing strategies, he believes the APC still needs Wike and that their relationship remains intact.