Kano State lawmaker Abdulmumini Jibrin Kofa has stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) requires former Rivers State Governor and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike more than Wike requires the party. Kofa, who represents the Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency, made the remarks during an interview with Arise TV on Monday, addressing Wike’s political influence and his relationship with the party as the 2027 elections approach.
According to Kofa, Wike possesses significant political capital that would remain intact even if he were to leave the APC. "I would have said much more than he needs us, because today if he pulls out of APC, he’ll be in high demand all over the country," Kofa said. He argued that the party should acknowledge this value and prioritize negotiation over confrontation, stating, "What you need to do with Wike is to negotiate with Wike."
Kofa drew a parallel between Wike and President Bola Tinubu to illustrate that political relevance is not strictly dependent on holding public office. He noted that Tinubu maintained his political standing after spending 16 or 17 years outside of elective office. "The president today, you take him out as the president, he would still continue to maintain his relevance... After all, he was out of office for 16, 17 years, and his relevance was intact," Kofa explained.
The lawmaker credited President Tinubu’s decision to bring Wike into his administration with strengthening the APC’s political position. Kofa warned that without this engagement, the party might have faced a "rebellion coalition" across the country. He further urged APC governors to adopt a pragmatic approach, noting that the specific political circumstances in various states are distinct and not uniform.
He criticized the recent decision by governors to hold a press conference to publicly confront Wike, describing the tactic as inappropriate. "I believe that the modus they adopted by going to do the press conference just to hit hard on Wike, I believe that it’s wrong, because all the states, their cases are peculiar," Kofa said, adding that entering into discussion would have been the better course of action.
Kofa clarified that his support for dialogue was not driven by a personal connection to the former governor. "Believe me, I don’t know Wike. This will surprise people. Between man and God, I don’t know him. I’ve met him only twice," he said.
<small>Source: Daily Post Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
