The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has cautioned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against accepting former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, back into its fold, warning that such a move could spell doom for the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a media chat on Monday, the former Rivers State governor said the PDP had failed to learn from its mistakes in the 2023 elections, particularly in its handling of zoning and leadership positions.
Wike recalled raising objections when both the party’s presidential candidate and national chairman emerged from the North, describing the move as unjust and politically reckless.
“From day one, I told my colleagues, PDP, you are shooting yourself. If you allow what is going on to continue, you’ll pay. And what did I say? You cannot have the presidential candidate at the same time as the national chairman of the party,” he said.
The minister accused the PDP of “stealing” both the ticket and the chairmanship, arguing that the decision “purged” the party and contributed to its loss at the polls. He stressed that the presidency must rotate back to the South to maintain balance and fairness.
On speculations of Obi’s possible return to the PDP, Wike dismissed the idea as dangerous and damaging to the party’s credibility.
“To what? Bringing Obi to where? You want to kill the party? Obi that was abusing the party, saying it is rotten—so the party is now good enough for him? Ambition can make people even go to Satan’s house,” he said.
Wike further warned that re-admitting Obi would strip the PDP of ideology and principle, reducing it to a platform driven solely by ambition.
“If you want to destroy this party, dare it—bring Obi. There’s no way he will come back just because of ambition. No more ideology, no longer principle,” he added.
