Nyesom Wike has dismissed the ongoing discussions about forming a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu as disingenuous.
Speaking in Abuja on Friday during a media session, Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory said those involved are acting out of self-interest.
He criticised the leaders of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for avoiding the pressing challenges within their own party.
He said, “Those advocating for a coalition are doing so for personal gain. People like Atiku and others—what coalition are they talking about? With whom? Why not focus on revitalising your own party first?
“Everyone wants to become president, but no one wants to invest in strengthening the party to become a robust opposition that can challenge for power in the future. Instead, they only focus on how they can be the ones to take charge. If that doesn’t happen, they’ll turn their backs.”
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The New Daily Prime reported that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai are key figures behind the proposed coalition.
The coalition aims to challenge President Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.
Despite the increasing momentum around this political alliance, Wike argues that the PDP should concentrate on resolving internal issues rather than chasing external partnerships.
The former governor of Rivers State criticised Atiku for potentially repeating the mistakes that contributed to the PDP’s defeat in the 2023 presidential race.
“Making the same mistakes over and over and then claiming you were rigged out is self-deception. You’ve already rigged yourself by creating internal crises,” Wike stated.
He also voiced concerns about the PDP’s readiness for the 2027 election, stressing that the party is far from prepared.
“The PDP is not ready for 2027. It’s as clear as day. It’s like saying you’re going to study for an exam but you’re not actually reading. You can’t fool anyone into thinking you’re prepared,” Wike said.
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“The party is not ready, and power struggles won’t help them. They need to focus on getting their house in order first.”
