By Abiola Olawale
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the PDP Governors Forum of dishonesty that could jeopardize the party’s chances in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, Wike highlighted what he described as “internal impunity and lack of unity” as critical threats to the party’s future.
Wike criticized Atiku’s recent efforts to form a coalition of opposition parties to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027, calling them insincere.
“Those who said they want a coalition are not truthful to themselves, and those in the party are not useful; it’s just a matter of interest,” Wike stated.
He argued that the PDP’s failure to address internal divisions and respect its own power-sharing principles contributed to its loss in the 2023 presidential election and could lead to a repeat in 2027.
Wike pointed to the governors’ actions as a continuation of the “impunity” that plagued the PDP in 2023.
He accused them of undermining the party’s constitution, particularly on the issue of power rotation between Nigeria’s North and South, which he claims fueled the 2023 defeat.
He continued: “You are making the same mistake with the impunity of the Governors Forum. What happened in 2023 may happen again in 2027.
“On Tuesday, I watched Politics Today and I called Makinde to say you are not telling the truth regarding some issues.
“One of the reasons why the PDP lost in 2023 was impunity. You are right; people who believe that they have all it takes and refuse to respect the constitution of the party regarding power-sharing between the North and South.
“Now you are making the same mistake with the impunity of the Governors Forum. You are repeating the same thing, and what happened in 2023 may happen again in 2027.
“If you don’t stop this impunity, it will affect the party. How? The Governors Forum is not an organ of the party; it’s a pressure group that can influence the National Working Committee.”
Recall that Atiku, the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, has been vocal about uniting opposition forces, including figures like the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi and the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, the PDP Governors Forum has since rejected Atiku’s coalition, insisting the party will not merge with others.
The PDP governors emphasized that the party would welcome other parties to join its platform but not merge with Atiku’s coalition.
Adding to the tension, former PDP Deputy National Chairman Bode George vowed that the party would not field Atiku as its candidate in 2027, citing past mistakes in the 2023 election.
