Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Bode George has firmly rejected claims that Nyesom Wike, the former Rivers State Governor and current FCT Minister, owns or controls the party.
George made this statement during an interview on Arise TV on Wednesday, June 26, following remarks by anchor Rufai Oseni, who suggested that Nigerian politics is heavily influenced by financial power rather than ideology or intellectual merit.
“Nigeria’s politics is ‘owonikoko’ politics,” Rufai said, implying that those who can fund party operations often dominate its direction. “That is why someone like Wike claims that he funded the party when it was down. As we speak today, Wike is bigger than the party.”
However, George pushed back strongly against that assertion.
“No! No! I do not agree with you that Wike is the owner of the party. No! He joined like everybody else. If you think it is only because of his money that he remains a member of the party, wait until NEC meets and takes decisive actions on those who have erred. That is when you’ll know the party is very much awake,” George responded.
He acknowledged Wike’s contributions to the PDP but insisted that no individual can claim ownership of the party.
“When did Wike join the party? Who said he owns it? He has contributed his quota, but to say he owns the party is a fallacy—impossible. We are not like a party owned by one individual,” George said.
When pressed to clarify which party he was referring to as being owned by one man, George responded pointedly:
“APC. He [Tinubu] said it openly: ‘I own it.’”
The exchange has since sparked renewed debates about internal democracy in Nigerian political parties and the influence of wealth in determining political power.
