…Cites PDP’s Zoning Issues and Internal Conflicts as Major Challenges
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has confidently predicted that President Bola Tinubu will defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) once again in the 2027 elections if the party does not reform its zoning system.
Wike made these remarks during a live media parley on Monday, criticizing the PDP’s failure to adhere to its constitutional zoning provisions during the 2023 elections. He argued that selfish manipulation within the party led to both the Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, emerging from the northern zone, contrary to the party’s zoning tradition.
“Selfish interest can kill an organisation,” Wike stated. “In 2023, we told the party: it is in our constitution, it is in our tradition. When one zone takes the chairman, another takes the Presidential Candidate. Because of selfish interests, they manipulated the system… Now, where will you zone your presidential candidate for 2027? It will backfire,” he warned.
Internal Strife and Defections
Wike’s remarks come amid deepening internal conflicts within the PDP, following leadership disputes in the South-South zone, a vacant National Secretary position since December 2024, and a notable clash between Governor Sim Fubara and former Governor Wike in Rivers State.
Despite intervention attempts by the National Working Committee (NWC), Board of Trustees (BoT), and Governors Forum, internal divisions have only worsened. Discontent has driven key figures, including Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC), delivering a major blow to the PDP’s strength ahead of 2027.
Addressing the recent defections, Wike defended Oborevwori’s move to support President Tinubu, labeling it as political honesty.
“What wrong did he do? That he said he was going to support Tinubu, the President, is a crime?” Wike questioned. He also pointed out the Chairman of the BoT’s endorsement of Alex Otti from the Labour Party for a second term, criticizing the PDP’s selective outrage.
Leadership Crisis and Impunity
Wike also accused the PDP of acting with impunity, a behavior he claimed is only typical of ruling parties, not opposition. He lamented that the PDP had failed to position itself as a viable opposition to challenge the APC.
“For Christ’s sake, no opposition party worth its salt will act with impunity… Opposition is supposed to organize itself to say, ‘I can take over the helm of affairs of government,’” he said.
He criticized the party’s obsession with attacking him instead of focusing on strategic growth, saying, “You are after one man—every day, you are after Wike. You abandoned what you are supposed to do.”
Rivers State Crisis
Wike also commented on the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, revealing that the suspended Governor Siminalayi Fubara had visited him alongside two APC governors to discuss peace. However, Wike expressed skepticism over Fubara’s capacity to genuinely pursue peace, citing continued demonstrations and inflammatory rhetoric from the governor’s camp.
“If you are making peace, and your people are demonstrating every day… how do you feel in that case?” Wike questioned. “You must take steps. Have you met the assembly people? It’s not to say I want peace; you must show by conduct and by action.”
Wike concluded by stating that Fubara’s issues were “self-inflicted,” stemming from his decision to ignore advice from senior political figures during the crisis’ early stages.