2027: Doom awaits PDP without reforms — Wike

…reveals Fubara came begging with two APC governors

By Ukpono Ukpong

The FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has warned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is heading for electoral doom in 2027 if it fails to embrace internal reform, unity, and strategic leadership.

He said the party is plagued by selfish interests, exclusionary politics, and a lack of direction, issues he believes will keep it far from power.

Speaking during his monthly media chat with journalists in Abuja, the former Rivers State governor did not mince words in laying out his concerns about the future of the party he once helped lead.

“Leadership is key, if you don’t show the right leadership you will suffer for it and this is what I have been saying,” he declared.

Wike lamented what he called the PDP’s “self-inflicted wounds,” pointing to a breakdown in cohesion and tolerance within the party.

He criticized the backlash faced by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and his predecessor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, for supporting President Bola Tinubu in the last election.

“When people talk about the governor of Delta State and his predecessor moving out of PDP to APC, what wrong did he do? That he said he was going to support Tinubu, that was the crime,” he queried.

He also raised questions over the perceived silence on other forms of political compromise within the PDP, particularly by its Board of Trustees (BoT).

“But the Chairman of the BoT who is the conscience of the party adopted Otti for second tenure. Why are people not commenting about that? The Chairman of PDP BoT adopted Alex Otti, governor under Labour Party, for second tenure,” Wike said.

Accusing the PDP of tolerating impunity, the minister said the party lacks the seriousness needed to function as an effective opposition force.

“No opposition party allows impunity, it’s only the ruling party. Opposition is going to organize itself to take over the affairs of government. How many times have they made efforts? How many people have you wooed? Rather they are after Wike; they abandoned what they are supposed to do – the only crime is that Wike is a minister under APC government,” he added.

Reflecting on his political strength, Wike stated that despite not supporting the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2023, he ensured the party swept all elections in Rivers State.

“I’m the only former governor who did not support the presidential candidate but made sure PDP won 100 percent in the governorship, State Assembly and National Assembly. Let any sitting governor or former governor come out to say that happened in their states,” he challenged.

He warned that unless PDP reverses its current path of exclusion and internal sabotage, it will suffer the same fate in 2027 as it did in 2023.

“If PDP doesn’t take care, watch out for what will happen because selfish interest can kill an organization. You haven’t won an election but you are excluding people,” he said.

“You want to play the same game you played in 2023, it will backfire. I have told people that this smartness will not help you. Wike is telling you now to stop this smartness,” he cautioned.

On the Rivers State political crisis, Wike confirmed that the embattled Governor Siminalayi Fubara had recently approached him for reconciliation, accompanied by two All Progressives Congress (APC) governors.

“Yes, he came with two governors, unfortunately, they are APC governors, I won’t pursue him. He said he wants peace, and I also want peace,” he revealed.

While noting that President Bola Tinubu had made several efforts to broker peace in Rivers State, Wike said the reconciliation would only succeed if Fubara took deliberate steps to restore peace.

“The President had called for peace severally, and I can’t sit down and say no, when the President has called for peace… This is a self-inflicted injury; he doesn’t need it,” he said.

Dismissing the suggestion of a PDP crisis in Rivers State, Wike explained, “We don’t have a problem with PDP in my state. Government is not the party, but government could work with the party, so there is no problem with PDP in my state.”

Responding to criticism from Atedo Peterside, Wike dismissed his influence and questioned his contributions to Fubara’s emergence as governor.

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“These are some of the people who caused problems for the governor. When we were making this young man governor, what was Peterside’s contribution? He’s from Opobo LGA,” Wike said.

“How can a man give a blanket insult that people are riff-raffs? Look, whatever position you occupy, your impact on your people is key,” he added.

The minister also recounted a conversation he had with the late CEO of Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe, urging him to contribute to his home state.

“Look, you are in Lagos, and every day you fly down here. What have you done for Rivers State? At the level you are, what can you say you have contributed to the development of the state?” Wike said he asked Wigwe.

According to him, Wigwe responded positively. “He looked at me and said he would return in two weeks’ time. He came back and said he had thought about it. He told me he was going to set up a world-class university,” Wike recalled.