President Bola Tinubu has extended an open invitation to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, saying he would be warmly welcomed into the All Progressives Congress (APC) if he chooses to officially join the ruling party.
Speaking on Tuesday during the commissioning of Arterial Road N16 and other infrastructure in Abuja’s Katampe District, President Tinubu praised Wike’s contributions to governance and playfully referenced the former Rivers governor’s campaign anthem.
“We have somebody—Nyesom Wike—he is not a member of my party (APC), not yet. But the day he changes his mind and registers with the progressives, we will welcome him. Because we will enjoy singing ‘as e dey pain dem, e dey sweet us’,” Tinubu said to laughter from the audience, including Wike himself.
The remarks reflected the growing political camaraderie between the two, despite Wike’s current affiliation with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Political bromance and realignments
Wike’s open support for President Tinubu during the 2023 general election sparked debate within the PDP. Although he declined to back the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, following his own loss in the PDP primaries, Wike remained in the party while accepting a ministerial appointment under the APC-led administration.
His role as FCT Minister, starting in August 2023, has further deepened internal tensions in the PDP, with some party leaders accusing him of double allegiance.
Wike has since pledged to lead President Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Rivers State in 2027. Speaking in a media interview on June 3, he declared:
“I am a key asset. I will lead President Tinubu’s re-election campaign in Rivers State.”
His repeated public endorsements have drawn mixed reactions, particularly from high-profile PDP figures like Chief Bode George and Dele Momodu, who have expressed concerns about party discipline and unity.
Crisis within the PDP
The PDP continues to grapple with internal discord following its 2023 electoral loss. Wike remains a polarizing but influential voice in the party’s post-election reckoning.
On Monday, Wike reignited debate over the party’s future by calling for the zoning of the PDP’s 2027 presidential ticket to the South. Speaking under the banner of the “Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP” after a consultative meeting, he emphasized the importance of equity, fairness, and inclusiveness in the party’s leadership decisions.
The statement also addressed procedural matters, asserting that only the party’s National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, is constitutionally empowered to issue notices for national meetings—a remark interpreted as a jab at ongoing leadership disputes.
