Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has made it clear he intends to lead the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking during a media interaction in Abuja on Monday, Wike addressed allegations of disloyalty to the PDP due to his role in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu, who is a member of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
Wike defended his party loyalty, saying “I am still in PDP. I worked hard for the party. I have not seen anybody who has the guts to tell me, ‘Wike, you are not a member of the party.’ Who is that? What is his contribution to the party that is more than me?”
“No one will take me from the party. I’m a member. In fact, I’ll lead the PDP campaign in Rivers by 2027.”
These remarks come amid ongoing internal frictions within the PDP, as some party members accuse Wike of betraying the party by collaborating with the APC-led federal government.
Reflecting on his current work as FCT Minister, Wike emphasized his readiness to confront entrenched interests:
“Look at what we are doing differently. People have said that FCT was not working (but) now it is working which means I’m doing things that they (past FCT ministers) refused to do.”
“I found out that most of them didn’t have the courage to annoy people, to step on toes but I take joy when I step on the toes of big men; those who say nothing will happen but I say something will happen. It makes me happy.”
“All they want me to do is to make decisions against poor people saying nothing will happen to them but I say something will happen. That is why we making results. If you don’t do the right thing, too bad. I don’t care.”
Commenting on the political crisis in Rivers State, Wike denied any ongoing feud with Governor Siminalayi Fubara and distanced himself from the federal government’s consideration of a state of emergency in the state.
“I don’t have any crisis with Fubara. I am not the president who declared the state of emergency. If Mr. President had called me that time, I wouldn’t have agreed on a state of emergency.”
