A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Farouk Aliyu, has warned Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, against actions or comments he said could deepen divisions within the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Aliyu’s warning followed Wike’s recent description of some APC governors as “politically lazy” and “419ners” while defending his Rainbow Coalition and his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday, Aliyu said APC members would not accept the kind of internal political confrontation Wike had experienced within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) being replicated inside the ruling party.

“We will not allow Wike to bring the PDP crisis into our party.”

Aliyu stressed that his criticism was directed at Wike’s political conduct rather than his personality, saying the APC was prepared to accommodate politicians from other parties who were willing to support the President.

‘Wike’s comments are in bad taste’

Aliyu specifically objected to Wike’s description of some APC governors as “lazy” and “419ners.”

He said the remarks were unacceptable to members of the ruling party, particularly at a time when APC leaders were attempting to consolidate support for Tinubu ahead of 2027.

“The language Nyesom Wike used to describe governors as ‘419ners’ or ‘lazy’ is in bad taste. All members of the APC reject that comment.”

Aliyu said political disagreements were inevitable but argued that those supporting the President should avoid language capable of creating further divisions within the party.

He also urged Wike to engage political actors more respectfully, particularly given the broader challenges confronting the Federal Government.

The disagreement follows an escalating dispute between Wike and the APC’s Progressive Governors’ Forum over his Rainbow Coalition, which the FCT minister has promoted as part of his political strategy ahead of 2027.

APC governors recently said they would not support political arrangements capable of weakening the party, creating divided loyalty or undermining APC candidates.

The governors said their commitment was to APC candidates at all levels and that campaign structures should align with the objectives of the party and Tinubu’s re-election effort.

Wike, however, has rejected the idea that his political activities require the approval of APC governors.

He has maintained that his principal political commitment is to Tinubu’s presidential re-election and argued that supporting Tinubu does not prevent politicians from supporting candidates from other parties in governorship or legislative elections.

‘My business is with Tinubu’

Responding to the governors, Wike said his political arrangement was discussed with Tinubu and that he had never presented himself to the APC Governors’ Forum for approval.

He cited the 2023 experience of the G5 governors, who supported Tinubu’s presidential candidacy despite belonging to the PDP.

Wike also pointed to instances where voters supported presidential candidates from one party while electing National Assembly candidates from another, arguing that the Nigerian electorate is capable of making different choices at different levels of an election.

He questioned the political influence of governors who were unable to deliver their states to Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election while winning their own legislative contests.

It was in that context that Wike described some of those opposing his coalition as “politically lazy” and compared them to “419ners.”

Farouk: APC will welcome Wike, but there must be a unified structure

Despite his criticism, Aliyu said the APC was not opposed to Wike supporting Tinubu.

He acknowledged Wike’s contribution to the President’s political fortunes and said politicians from outside the APC could support the ruling party.

According to Aliyu, the problem was the possibility of competing campaign structures operating alongside the APC.

The APC chieftain said the party wanted a unified campaign structure at the national and state levels.

That position closely mirrors the concern expressed by the APC Governors’ Forum, which has rejected arrangements that could produce “confusion, divided loyalty or competing interests” within the party’s campaign architecture.

‘Wike has been settled’

Aliyu also defended Wike’s continued position within the Tinubu administration, noting that the former Rivers governor had been given a prominent federal appointment.

His argument was essentially that Wike had been accommodated within the Tinubu administration and should therefore avoid actions that could generate unnecessary conflict with APC leaders.

However, the dispute is becoming more complicated because Wike remains a member of the PDP while serving as a minister under an APC administration and simultaneously supporting Tinubu’s 2027 presidential bid.

That political arrangement has allowed Wike to maintain relationships across party lines, but it has also generated questions about how his political machinery will operate alongside the APC’s formal campaign structures.

The disagreement is no longer simply a personal exchange between Wike and individual governors.

It reflects a larger question about how Tinubu’s 2027 coalition will be organised.

Wike’s approach is based on building a broad political network that can support Tinubu beyond the formal APC structure.

The APC Governors’ Forum, meanwhile, wants the party’s candidates and campaign machinery to remain central to the electoral process.

Aliyu’s intervention illustrates the tension between those two approaches.

For the moment, Aliyu says Wike remains welcome as a supporter of Tinubu, but the APC’s internal structure cannot be treated as an extension of a separate political coalition.

As the 2027 election approaches, the relationship between Wike’s cross-party political network, Tinubu’s presidential campaign and the APC’s state-level machinery is likely to remain an important political issue.

Leaders and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State have endorsed the re-election bids of Governor Hyacinth Alia and President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections, while cautioning members against actions capable of weakening the party’s unity.

The stakeholders, operating under the Concerned Benue APC Stakeholders and Strategic Alliance, made their position known at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday.

The group’s convener, Dr Dominic Alancha, who addressed journalists, stressed that the APC was bigger than any individual, leader, aspirant or political group.

Alancha urged party members to place the collective interest of the APC above personal disagreements, particularly as the party prepares for the 2027 elections.

He said, “The APC is bigger than any individual, leader, aspirant or political group. Personal disagreements should not be allowed to take precedence over the collective interest of the party.”

The convener disclosed that he had previously opposed Governor Alia’s re-election bid but said he changed his position after reviewing what he described as the broader interest of the party.

According to him, party members with grievances against the governor or APC leadership should use the party’s recognised organs and internal dispute-resolution mechanisms rather than engage in activities that could undermine the party.

“Members who have grievances against the governor or the party leadership should utilise the recognised organs and internal mechanisms of the APC rather than engage in activities that could weaken the party ahead of the 2027 elections,” he said.

Alancha also maintained that any alleged violation of the APC constitution or rules should be handled by the appropriate authorities through due process, regardless of the status or influence of the individuals involved.

The stakeholders backed the Alia administration, arguing that its performance in office provided grounds for the governor to seek another term.

They also declared support for Tinubu’s re-election bid, saying members of the group would mobilise support for both the President and the Benue governor ahead of the 2027 polls.

The group called on APC elders, leaders and members across Benue to resolve their differences through dialogue and make use of the party’s established structures.

Alancha further urged the APC leadership to uphold the supremacy of the party’s constitution and ensure that disciplinary measures, where necessary, were applied fairly and in accordance with established procedures.

He also appealed to Governor Alia to remain focused on governance and the implementation of his administration’s programmes, while urging party members to concentrate on mobilising support for the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.

The stakeholders also appealed to members aligned with different political camps to embrace reconciliation.

They cautioned against what they described as a “rainbow coalition”, which they said could undermine the unity of the party.

“Our position is simple: the party must come first, Benue must come first, and all stakeholders should work towards strengthening the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections,” Alancha said.

The position comes amid wider disagreements within the APC over political alliances ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly involving some APC governors and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The dispute centres partly on the question of whether APC members should support only candidates fielded by the party across different electoral contests.

While the APC governors have maintained support for the party’s candidates, Wike has backed Tinubu’s presidential bid while retaining his position that he should be free to support candidates outside the APC in other contests.

The Benue APC stakeholders, however, said party members should prioritise unity, reconciliation and the strengthening of the party as the 2027 elections approach.

Air Peace has challenged data published by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on flight disruptions recorded by domestic airlines in August 2026, saying the regulator’s figures underreported its operations and wrongly portrayed the airline as primarily responsible for the delays.

The airline said it operated 2,564 flights during the month, contrary to the 1,864 disruptions attributed to it in the NCAA’s monthly report.

Air Peace also said only 391 of its flights were delayed by factors within the airline’s control, while the majority of the disruptions were caused by external factors, including airport congestion, adverse weather, industrial action and infrastructure limitations.

The airline’s position was contained in a statement signed by its Chief Operating Officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, on Thursday, following the publication of the NCAA report which identified Air Peace as recording the highest number of flight disruptions among domestic carriers in August.

According to the NCAA data, domestic airlines collectively recorded 7,961 flight disruptions in August, with Air Peace accounting for 1,864, followed by United Nigeria Airlines with 1,231 and Enugu Air with 878.

However, Air Peace argued that the figures did not accurately reflect its actual operations, claiming that more than 700 flights were omitted from the regulator’s data.

“Air Peace operated a total of 2,564 flights in August 2026, as opposed to the 1,864 flights stated in the NCAA report,” the airline said.

It argued that excluding more than 700 operational flights distorted the calculation of its performance metrics and inflated the reported delay percentages.

“By omitting over 700 fully operational flights from the data pool, the NCAA’s calculations skew our actual performance metrics and artificially inflate the reported delay percentages,” it said.

Air Peace questions NCAA reporting process
The airline also questioned the timing and scope of the NCAA’s monthly flight disruption reports, particularly why the monthly series began with August instead of July.

“Why did the NCAA start the monthly series with August rather than July, immediately following the publication of Q1 and Q2 on 31st of July?” Air Peace asked.

It also expressed concern that it could not find equivalent monthly data for July, while the August report was released shortly after the end of the month.

“It is indeed worrisome that there is still no equivalent monthly data located for July, yet the NCAA published unusually granular August airline delay data only 13 days after month-end,” the airline said.

Air Peace further argued that the report should have provided more details on the causes of the disruptions attributed to individual airlines.

“Why was this report published rapidly without identifying the causes of the delays attributed to individual airlines instead of publishing wrong figures that could tarnish the reputation of the airline despite prevailing operational challenges?” it asked.

Airline blames industrial action, congestion
Air Peace said the NCAA’s report did not adequately account for an industrial dispute that affected its operations in August.

According to the airline, union action that began on August 11 disrupted its operations for more than 14 days, resulting in flight rescheduling, cancellations and delays.

“It is reasonable to suggest that the early release of the August publication should have been accompanied by disclosure that the month contained an extraordinary aviation-sector industrial disruption which significantly affected the airline’s operations,” it said.

Air Peace said its internal analysis showed that only 391 flights, representing about 15 per cent of the delays it experienced during the month, were caused by internal factors.

“An internal review of our August 2026 flight data performance analysis reveals that 391 flights, which is only 15% of the delays experienced during the month of August, were caused by internal factors,” the airline said.

It said the remaining disruptions were caused by factors outside its control.

According to Air Peace, the internal delays were largely linked to technical problems that required unscheduled aircraft maintenance, as well as fuel-related issues.

The airline, however, said airport congestion and traffic accounted for more than 51 per cent of its external delays.

“Heavy tarmac and traffic congestion accounted for more than 51% of the external delays we experienced,” it said.

“Aircraft were frequently held on the ground or in holding patterns due to infrastructure capacity limits.”

Bird strike grounded aircraft
Air Peace also cited a bird strike involving one of its aircraft at Abuja as another major disruption during the month.

It said aircraft 5N-BYG was struck by a bird, damaging its inlet cowl beyond acceptable limits and requiring repairs.

“One of our aircraft, 5N-BYG, was struck by a bird in Abuja, which damaged the inlet cowl beyond acceptable limits, costing us USD1.8M to fix the dent,” the airline said.

According to Air Peace, the aircraft normally operated at least eight sectors daily and transported about 1,000 passengers.

It said the aircraft was consequently removed from service for more than a week, creating further disruption to its schedule.

The airline said the aircraft only returned to service after the damaged inlet cowl was replaced.

Weather, airport infrastructure blamed
The airline also attributed part of its August disruptions to adverse weather associated with the rainy season.

It said unfavourable weather conditions forced mandatory safety holds and diversions, which subsequently created backlogs across its operations.

“Unfavourable weather patterns throughout August forced mandatory safety holds and several diversions, which further compounded the backlog,” Air Peace said.

It noted that the consequences of a diversion could extend a flight’s delay significantly.

“One flight diversion could result in almost three hours’ delay. How is the consequential delay Air Peace’s fault?” it asked.

Air Peace also pointed to deficiencies and unexpected breakdowns in airport infrastructure, saying they affected boarding and departure timelines.

The airline said it continued to bear costs associated with some disruptions caused by external factors, including providing assistance to affected passengers.

“Yet, we still take care of the passengers, including hotel accommodations, for external events that are beyond the airline,” it said.

The airline also blamed the picketing of its operations by aviation union members and damage to another aircraft by a ground-handling company.

According to Air Peace, the union action disrupted its operations for more than 14 days, while the aircraft damaged by the ground-handling company was unavailable for more than 14 days.

Air Peace calls for NCAA data review
The airline rejected the suggestion that it was primarily responsible for the delays recorded by its passengers during the month.

“Again, the narrative that Air Peace is primarily responsible for these delays is completely false,” it said.

“The majority of the delays experienced by our passengers were driven by external factors and completely outside of our control.”

Air Peace said it had previously refrained from publicly disclosing details of the disruptions but decided to respond following the NCAA report.

“We have restrained ourselves from making these facts public before now, but we have now been pushed beyond acceptable limits, hence the need to go public and state the facts the way they are,” it said.

The airline said it had invested in its fleet, crew availability, training and maintenance, while promising to continue addressing factors within its control.

“We remain fully committed to safety, on-time performance and passenger satisfaction;

however, an airline cannot safely or logistically bypass severe airport congestion/traffic, inadequate airport infrastructure, sunset restrictions or adverse weather conditions,” it said.

Air Peace urged the NCAA to review and audit its data collection methods to ensure that future reports accurately capture airline operations and the causes of flight disruptions.

“We respectfully urge the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority to review and audit its data collection methods to ensure future reports accurately reflect the correct data and delay causal factors/operational environment of the Nigerian aviation sector,” the airline said.

The NCAA report, meanwhile, had identified Air Peace as recording the highest number of disruptions among domestic carriers in August, followed by United Nigeria Airlines with 1,231 disruptions and Enugu Air with 878.

The regulator attributed the disruptions recorded across the domestic aviation sector to broader operational challenges, including adverse weather conditions and technical problems.