2027: Adegbonmire dismisses Wike’s ‘rainbow coalition’

— Says APC will defeat opposition in Ondo

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire (SAN), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, has dismissed the political alliance linked to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, describing it as having no place in the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Adegbonmire, who represents Ondo Central Senatorial District, spoke in Akure after receiving a rousing welcome from supporters.

He urged APC members not to associate with the coalition, saying the party remained united in Ondo State despite grievances arising from its recent primaries.

The senator said disagreements following party primaries were normal and would not prevent the APC from working together ahead of the elections.

“What crisis? Some people are still aggrieved after the primary election. That is natural.

“When I won three years ago, there were aggrieved people, but I still won the election. There will be fallout from the primaries, but at the end of the day, we will win as a party.

“We will work together in unity, and we will ensure that we are winning,” he said.

On the reported involvement of APC members in the so-called rainbow coalition, Adegbonmire said he was not aware of any party member working against the APC.

“I don’t know about any member of APC that is in the rainbow coalition. I always tell people, nobody does anti-party. Nobody has come out to say he wants to do anti-party,” he said.

The senator also expressed confidence in the APC’s chances in Ondo, saying the party had no serious opposition in the state.

“We are going to win. In fact, we have no opposition. I can tell that for free. I am going to Idanre to go and tell them that we own Idanre. I have absolutely no fear at all,” he said.

Adegbonmire also criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his reported promise to restore fuel subsidy if elected president, describing the proposal as unrealistic.

He defended the Federal Government’s decision to remove the subsidy, saying it had freed resources for salaries, infrastructure and other areas of the economy.

“Before President Bola Tinubu came in, some states could not pay salaries. Today, governors are embarking on projects worth over N100 billion.

“Nigeria was technically bankrupt in 2023; now we have over $54 billion in foreign reserves,” he said.

The senator, however, acknowledged the economic hardship faced by Nigerians, but argued that the reforms would yield long-term benefits.

“There is light at the end of the tunnel. The days of fuel queues are over. APC remains the answer,” he said, expressing confidence that the party would win from the presidential election to the state House of Assembly polls in 2027.