June 02, (THEWILL) – The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday, boasted that nobody can remove or expel him from the Peoples Democratic Party, declaring his intention to lead the presidential election campaign for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Wike made the declaration during a media parley in Abuja on Monday, where he responded to accusations of undermining the PDP while serving in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu, an opposition party member.
“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 mine? No one will take me from the party. I’m a member. In fact, I’ll lead the PDP campaign in Rivers by 2027″, he said.
Wike emphasised his political relevance and influence, asserting that despite ongoing challenges within the PDP, he remains a pivotal figure capable of delivering electoral success to Tinubu.
“I said I will support Asiwaju. The way we won other elections, that’s the way we will win. I’m not a liability. I’m an asset. Whether you agree, you don’t agree, I’m an asset. Whether you want to die, you don’t want to die, I’m an asset. No matter what, you may not like me, your likeness has nothing to make me… I’m an asset to making sure that Tinubu wins second tenure”, he said.
Confirming his support for Tinubu and that he will lead the campaign, the minister said, “Of course, is that hidden? Because I have said the South must produce the president, honourable minister.”
When asked if he cared about the PDP amid fears it might implode before 2027, Wike said, “If I said something about PDP today and they are telling me to leave the PDP, you are not the one to tell me to leave the party. Let them leave the party.”
He acknowledged leadership problems, attributing it to plans by some people to kill the party.
“Some people want to kill it. We say it will not die. We’ll make sure it will not die. That’s why we don’t allow them to get what they want.”
Wike pointed to recent losses in Delta and Akwa Ibom states as leadership failures: “You won’t tell me they didn’t have intelligence that Delta will go. You won’t tell me they had no intelligence that Akwa Ibom will go. Leadership, what would you do? Send a team to ask why? but No, instead they say ‘let them go.’ Opposition does not do impunity. We try to say, beg, put everybody together. You don’t say, ‘let them go.’”
Wike also slammed former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, over his hunger comment, declaring that Amaechi can’t stay out of power and his hunger comment was an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians.
Last Friday, at an event organised to mark his 60th birthday anniversary, Amaechi said he is hungry and won’t mind joining the coalition against President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
However, on Monday, Wike said that Amaechi was hungry for power, and not food, adding that with over two unbroken decades in various top public offices, the former Transportation Minister can’t claim that he is hungry for food.
“I don’t know why a man would choose his 60th birthday to tell lies. It’s unfortunate. At all times, on your 60th birthday, when people are celebrating you?
“He was (Rivers State) Speaker from 1999 to 2007. He was the most pampered speaker. He became a governor from 2007 to 2015. Eight years as Rivers State House of Assembly Speaker, and eight years as governor, he never talked about hunger.
“He became a minister from 2015 to 2023, eight years as a super minister of transport. When he was borrowing money (for projects), he didn’t talk about hunger”, he said.
Speaking on the political crisis in Rivers State, Wike denied any personal conflict with Governor Siminalayi Fubara and said he would not have supported the declaration of a state of emergency in the state had President Tinubu consulted him.
“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.”
On the recent revocation of landed properties in the FCT over failure to pay ground rent, Wike said he finds satisfaction in challenging powerful interests.
Declaring that the era of impunity, when a section of the elite felt they could trample on laws and nothing would happen, was over, Wike urged the Nigerian elite to visit other countries and see how modern societies are run.
“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 are making results. If you don’t do the right thing, too bad. I don’t care”, he said.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
