Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has delivered a blunt warning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that any attempt to bring former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, back into its fold would spell the end of the opposition party.
Speaking during a no-holds-barred media chat in Abuja on Monday, Wike accused the PDP of refusing to learn from its mistakes in the 2023 general elections, insisting that its arrogance and lack of fairness remain its greatest undoing. He recalled how he cautioned party leaders against fielding both a northern presidential candidate and a northern national chairman at the same time, a move he described as “politically suicidal.”
“From day one, I told my colleagues in PDP, you are shooting yourself in the foot. You cannot have the presidential candidate and the national chairman from the same region. I warned them and they ignored me. They stole the presidential ticket, stole the chairmanship, and the party paid dearly for it. It purged them, and I have no regrets,” Wike declared.
The former Rivers State governor stressed that equity and zoning remain the only viable route for PDP to regain national relevance, arguing that the presidency must rotate back to the South in 2027 if the party hopes to mount any serious challenge against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Turning his fire on discussions about Obi’s possible return, Wike dismissed the idea as “dangerous and hypocritical,” warning that the same man who labelled PDP as “rotten” should not be welcomed back merely for political convenience. “Bring Obi to where? You want to kill the party? Ambition can make people even go to Satan’s house. If you dare it, PDP is finished,” he said.
Wike further accused some PDP leaders of lacking ideology and principle, saying decisions now appear driven purely by ambition rather than genuine political conviction. “There’s no way Obi’s return strengthens the PDP. Instead, it erodes the last strands of credibility the party still has. PDP must choose between survival and self-destruction,” he added.
Observers say Wike’s intervention comes at a critical moment when the opposition is battling identity crises, defections, and internal mistrust, while the 2027 elections loom large. Analysts also note that his comments reflect a deepening division over zoning, candidate selection, and the party’s future strategy.
For now, Wike insists he stands firmly by his principle of equity, justice, and fairness, warning that PDP cannot afford another reckless gamble. “If the party ignores the lessons of 2023, then 2027 will not just be a defeat — it will be a funeral,” he concluded.
