The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as a political force that cannot be ignored ahead of the 2027 elections.
The party made the position known in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, on Tuesday.
The statement followed reports that the APC Governors’ Forum had rejected the political support Wike is offering to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The PDP said the APC governors were focusing on Wike instead of addressing their governance records and performance in their respective states.
It said, “The APC Governors’ Forum should understand that Wike is not their problem; their problem is their poor governance and failure to meet the expectations of their people.”
The party also defended Wike’s decision to support President Tinubu, saying he has the constitutional and democratic right to determine who he supports politically.
“His support for President Tinubu is legitimate, and as a serving appointee of the President, there is nothing contradictory about supporting the President while maintaining his political identity and relationships within the PDP,” the statement said.
The PDP said the APC governors had initially interpreted Wike’s support for Tinubu as an endorsement of the APC, but were now realising that supporting the President did not mean abandoning the PDP.
It rejected the governors’ reported demand that Wike should not support or field candidates capable of challenging APC governors and their preferred candidates in 2027.
According to the party, “Elections are contests, and every political party has the democratic right to present candidates before the electorate.”
The PDP further described the position of the APC Governors’ Forum as evidence of anxiety within the ruling party over the possibility of facing strong PDP candidates at the 2027 elections.
It said Wike had demonstrated a capacity for project delivery, political organisation and electoral mobilisation both as Rivers State governor and as FCT minister.
The party questioned whether the APC governors were primarily interested in President Tinubu’s victory or their own political victories.
“A governor who truly wants the President to win should welcome every credible political force capable of contributing to that victory,” it said.
The PDP also urged the governors to focus on governance, accountability and performance, including the management of funds accruing to their states through the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
The party said Wike remained an asset to Tinubu’s political project.
“The Hon. Minister of the FCT is not a liability to President Tinubu’s political project. He is undoubtedly an asset, a mobiliser and a force capable of contributing significantly to electoral victory,” the statement said.
The PDP said Nigerians would ultimately decide the outcome of the 2027 elections through their votes.
It added: “The PDP will not be intimidated into abandoning the electoral field. We will field credible candidates, mobilise Nigerians and offer the electorate a genuine alternative come 2027.”
Faridah Abdulkadiri
Follow us on:
