. States why PDP can’t win in 2027
. Accuses party’s Govs of impunity
. Rotation made me back South in 2023
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said he has resolved not to support any of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in the upcoming 2027 general elections.
Wike, who stated this during a media interview at the weekend in Abuja, also said he stands by his decision to oppose his party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election.
He explained that the only condition for supporting the Peoples Democratic Party candidates in 2027 general elections was for the main opposition party to resolve all internal crisis and become united.
The FCT Minister, who blamed the struggle for power in the PDP as its major undoing, added that the crisis, if not resolved will consume the party. “If the PDP does not put their house in order, I will not support them, even for the area council elections. I don’t know about APC, but if the PDP continues the way they are going, I will not support them in the 2027 elections. Everybody knows me that I don’t play hide and seek games,” Wike said.
The immediate past Rivers State Governor said he was not sure the PDP was prepared for the general elections in 2027.
“It is very obvious PDP is not ready for the 2027 elections. They cannot say for sure that they are ready for 2027 elections. The power struggle in the PDP cannot help us,” he added.
On the 2023 presidential election, which his party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar came second behind Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike said his decision to back a southern candidate against his party was to ensure power rotation as enshrined in its constitution.
In addition to that, Wike said Atiku was not a trusted ally.
“I wanted power rotation, and that is why I opposed northern president in 2023. Atiku was not an option, so it was a no go area. From day one, Atiku does not keep to his word.
From day one, I knew Atiku will not keep to his word, and I cannot take his word to the bank. I cannot do it. I took the right decision and I stand by the decision,” Wike stated.
Wike, also accused the PDP Governors’ Forum of impunity and dabbling into issues that are outside their constitutional powers, stressing that impunity, which was the major cause of the party’s loss in the 2023 presidential election, would cost the party in the 2027 presidential election.
“Let me start from the Governors’ Forum. They are not sincere to themselves and they are not sincere to the party. On Tuesday, I watched Politics Today on Channels Television, where (Seun) Okinbaloye was interacting with the Governor of Oyo State, and after the interview, I called the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi (Makinde) who is my friend, and I said listen, I heard what you said, but you did not say the truth as regards to some issues.
“Fundamentally, you said in 2023, one of the reasons why PDP lost was impunity, and you are right, because people who believed that they have all it takes refused to respect the constitution of the party as regards to power sharing between the north and the south, you are right. And now you are also making the same mistake of the impunity by the Governors’ Forum.
“I said you are repeating the same mistake of impunity, and what happened in 2023 may happen again in 2027. If you are not going to stop this impunity, it will affect the party.
“And how will that affect the party? It is clear, the Governors’ Forum is not an organ of the party, the Governors’ Forum is a pressure group that can influence the National Working Committee, but you cannot take the functions of the National Working Committee and say because you are now a governor, you will superintend.
“Some people ask, what about when you were a governor, and I agree…but there was never a time when I was a governor that the governors came out and said we have done this and that, rather we influenced what would will happen in the National Working Committee, and that is why we are a pressure group.
“The Governors’ Forum does not have the authority to say someone should be acting as a National Secretary when there is a National Secretary who has not resigned. You cannot do that. You don’t have the power to say we have formed a committee on zoning because it is not within your prerogative to form standing committees.
“But to now come out and say, we, the Governors’ Forum have met with the organs of the party, the National Working Committee. Who are you to do that for a National Secretary of the party that was elected, not appointed, by delegates at the National Convention?
“So, if there is anybody who wants to remove the National Secretary of the party, it has to be at the National Convention; even (as) it is zoned to the south east, the south east can bring in somebody, they can only say when we go to the National Convention, this is the person we will support. It is not by appointment, it is by election.
“And I told him this is where you people are getting it wrong, and it will not work, whether you people like it or not.
“The Anambra election is coming up, and who will sign (letters) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), because INEC recognizes only the National Chairman and the National Secretary for correspondence.
“On the other part of people who are looking for extra peace, the likes of Atiku and others, which coalition and with who? Why not come to your party? Everybody wants to become President in the country, nobody wants to say look, let us build our party, so that at the end of the day our party will be in a formidable position as opposition party to take over power.
“The only thing you want is how I will be the one, and if that does not happen, the rest is all useless. You made the mistake yesterday, today you make the same mistake, and tomorrow you want to make the mistake again. When that happens and you lose, you begin to say you were rigged out. You have already rigged out yourself by causing crisis.”