Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stands no chance of winning the 2027 presidential election unless it urgently resolves its internal crises.
Speaking during a media chat with select journalists in Abuja on Monday, Wike warned that personal ambition and disunity were threatening the party’s future. He pointed to recent defections and internal contradictions as signs of the PDP’s growing instability.
Wike defended the decision of some members, including former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to switch allegiance to the All Progressives Congress (APC), describing it as a “smart political move.” He questioned the party’s silence over the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman’s endorsement of Labour Party’s Governor Alex Otti for a second term.
“People are angry about those supporting Tinubu, yet the PDP BoT chairman adopted a Labour Party governor. Where is the consistency? The opposition should be united to take over government, but instead, they’re fixated on Wike,” he said.
‘I Delivered PDP Without Backing the Presidential Candidate’ — Wike
Highlighting his influence within the PDP, Wike stated that he was the only former governor who, despite withholding support from the party’s presidential candidate in 2023, delivered complete victories for PDP in his state’s governorship, national and state assembly elections.
He cautioned that exclusionary politics within the party would only deepen divisions, warning, “You’ve not won an election, yet you’re excluding people. If the PDP repeats the 2023 mistake, it will pay dearly for it.”
Rivers Crisis: Wike Points Fingers at Fellow Governors
On the political turmoil in Rivers State, Wike blamed external interference from some governors who, he claimed, encouraged Governor Siminalayi Fubara to challenge him, only to abandon him afterward.
“Governors pushed him into this. Where are they now? They’ve left him to face the consequences alone,” Wike said, adding that Fubara’s recent peace initiative, including a visit with two APC governors, showed signs of reconciliation.
However, Wike questioned the sincerity of the peace efforts, noting that hostile actions by Fubara’s supporters were ongoing. “You can’t seek peace and have your people on TV insulting others at the same time,” he said.
He also cast doubt on whether lifting the state of emergency declared in Rivers would resolve the crisis, asserting that the legislature would continue to oppose the governor.
Wabara: The God of PDP Is Awake
Meanwhile, PDP BoT Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara countered Wike’s claims, expressing confidence in the party’s resilience.
At the inauguration of new BoT members in Abuja, Wabara said, “The God of PDP is not asleep. We remain strong, with committed and credible Nigerians still in our fold. The PDP shall not die.”
He described the BoT as the party’s conscience and urged the new members to uphold PDP’s integrity and democratic ideals.
New PDP BoT Members Inaugurated
Among the newly inaugurated BoT members are former governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Lucky Igbinedion (Edo), Gaius Ishaku (Taraba), and Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano). Others include ex-Minister of Information Labaran Maku and former Senator Zainab Kure.
The PDP said 23 of the 39 new members were nominated by their respective states, while the rest represent geopolitical zones.
Ganduje: PDP Dead, Lamido Will Soon Join APC
In a separate development, APC National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje dismissed claims by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido that APC defectors would return to the PDP.
According to Ganduje, the APC is only getting stronger under President Bola Tinubu, and it is Lamido who is more likely to join the ruling party.
“Rather than me returning to a failing opposition, the APC will soon receive Lamido. The PDP is dead,” Ganduje said in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu.
He emphasized the APC’s focus on internal democracy and preparations for the 2027 elections, urging PDP leaders to focus on fixing their party instead of making predictions.
