.….Says Wike’s politics thrives on perpetual conflict
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sharply condemned Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, labeling him a “permanent agent provocateur whose mask is off,” following his recent end-of-year media chat where he openly reaffirmed his support for President Bola Tinubu’s presumed 2027 re-election bid while remaining a PDP member.
In a strongly worded statement on Monday signed by National Publicity Secretary Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP accused Wike of confirming the grounds for his earlier expulsion from the party due to anti-party activities.
“By his end-of-year Media Chat, Minister Nyesom Wike has reiterated his support for, and in fact declared that he is the ‘Number one supporter’ of the presumptive candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 Presidential election, while remaining a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, confirming the basis of his expulsion from the PDP, for anti-party activities,” the statement read.
The party described Wike’s repeated declarations as “nothing less than a locus classicus of anti-democratic adventurism.”
It further portrayed his political style as one rooted in disruption: “However, this attitude of Nyesom Wike is not new, as he has been a constant agent provocateur in the political space, creating trouble to mask his selfish intentions.”
The PDP recounted a history of alleged instability caused by Wike within the party leadership since becoming Rivers State Governor in 2015.
“From the Sheriff era, where he was a forerunner in the Sheriff-for-National Chairman movement and later turned to fight and remove Sheriff; later he championed the Uche Secondus-for-National Chairman movement (in fact, he granted a very combustible interview that polarized the party just before the convention) and then was the same person fighting to remove Secondus. The same Wike led the movement to produce Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as National Chairman against the advice of many party leaders, and so soon thereafter, it was Wike again who led the Ayu-must-go struggle.”
Beyond national issues, the statement highlighted actions in Rivers State: “The imposition of candidates, internal exclusionary practices, and the unprecedented prevention of a duly nominated PDP presidential candidate from campaigning in a PDP-controlled state remain troubling departures from democratic norms.”
It added that “Wike’s politics thrives on perpetual conflict, feeding on attention and seeking relevance through calculated disruption and when starved of attention, seeks to destroy everything.”
The PDP interpreted Wike’s media chat remarks as revealing deeper frustrations: “All through the interview, Minister Wike showed obvious signs of fear of losing the attention of the President, his slipping grip of Rivers State, and his frustration with the unbending nature of the true leadership of the PDP at the national level.”
Accusing Wike and his allies of working against the party’s interests, the statement declared: “Recent public statements and alignments now make clear that Wike and his group of friends have openly chosen to work against the PDP’s collective interest in favour of an opposing political platform.”
“Now that the mask of his pretence is off and he has stated that he and his group of friends (Sam Anyanwu and co.) will support the President and the APC in the Presidential elections, Nigerians are now clearly aware of their disposition to destroy the PDP as a part of their bargain to support the President-a clandestine agreement reached for their selfish reasons,” it continued, warning that “as a lawyer, he knows that agreements made to achieve an illegal purpose are not enforceable and should not be encouraged.”
Despite the internal turmoil, the PDP expressed confidence in its future: “We assure Nigerians that the PDP will field a credible Presidential Candidate who will receive the massive support of Nigerians and will go on to win the presidential elections in 2027. Our party is the Peoples Democratic Party, and no one person has the capacity to personalize the party.”
The statement concluded by praising the ongoing rebuilding efforts: “The Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee is working around the clock to rebuild the party, clear the issues in court, and prepare the party for electoral success come 2027.”
The response comes amid heightened tensions within the PDP, with Wike’s declarations during his December 29 media chat in Port Harcourt intensifying debates over loyalty and party discipline ahead of the 2027 elections.
