The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has again cast doubts on the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reclaiming power in 2027, saying the party cannot defeat President Bola Tinubu if it fails to address its internal zoning crisis.
Speaking during a live media chat on Monday, Wike accused the PDP of violating its own constitution by allowing both the party chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, and the 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, to emerge from the North—an act he described as selfish and destructive.
“If PDP tries the same thing in 2027, it will backfire. Selfish interest can kill an organisation,” Wike warned.
While former Senate President Adolphus Wabara was inducting 40 new members into the PDP Board of Trustees in Abuja, calling for unity and revival, Wike openly undermined the party’s position by defending defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Reacting to the recent switch by Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa to the APC, Wike said their support for Tinubu was not a crime, even as he justified their departure from the PDP.
“The BoT Chairman of the PDP supported Alex Otti of Labour Party. What wrong did Oborevwori do by backing President Tinubu?” Wike asked.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, also described the PDP as disorganised and unfit to lead, accusing it of impunity and poor leadership.
Observers say Wike’s continued alignment with Tinubu, despite being a serving minister under an APC government, and his open criticism of the PDP, further weaken the party’s credibility and show his lack of commitment to its revival.
He also weighed in on the Rivers political crisis, accusing Governor Siminalayi Fubara of ignoring peace efforts. He claimed the embattled governor had rejected advice from several PDP leaders, including Governors Seyi Makinde and Samuel Ortom.
Wike, whose influence has caused deep cracks within the PDP, now stands accused of sabotaging his party’s chances while openly embracing Tinubu’s leadership ahead of the next election.
