Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), cautioning that the party is on a path to self-destruction if it considers reabsorbing former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Speaking during a media chat on Monday, Wike criticized the PDP for failing to learn from its mistakes in the 2023 general elections, which he said cost the party dearly. He reiterated his longstanding concerns about the imbalance in the party’s leadership structure leading up to the elections.
“From day one, I warned my colleagues in the PDP: you are shooting yourselves in the foot. If you allow this to continue, you will pay the price,” Wike said. “You cannot have both the presidential candidate and the national chairman come from the North. That was unjust, and it was political suicide.”
He accused the party of ignoring repeated calls for equity and internal balance, a decision he believes directly contributed to its electoral defeat.
“They stole both the presidential ticket and the national chairmanship. I told them it would purge the party, and it did. I have no regrets,” he stated.
Wike emphasized the need for power rotation back to the South, insisting that equity and zoning are essential for national unity and political stability.
Turning to the topic of Peter Obi’s rumored return to the PDP, Wike dismissed the idea outright, calling it “dangerous” and “hypocritical.”
“To what end? Bringing Obi back to the PDP? You want to kill the party? This was someone who repeatedly called the party corrupt and rotten. And now it’s suddenly good enough for him?” Wike said. “Ambition can drive people to even Satan’s house.”
He warned that such a move would further erode the PDP’s already fragile credibility and dismantle whatever ideological foundation remains.
“If you want to destroy this party, go ahead—bring Obi back. But understand this: it won’t be about ideology or principle anymore; it will just be about naked ambition,” he warned.
Wike concluded by reaffirming his commitment to equity, justice, and zoning as the only viable path forward for the PDP to regain national relevance and public trust.
