PDP’s implosion result of ignored warnings, not bitterness – Wike
Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has said that the wave of defections rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a vindication of his long-standing warnings about the dangers of internal impunity and lack of fairness within the party.
Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Friday, Wike said the recent defections of PDP governors, senators, and other key figures to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were clear signs of an impending collapse he had predicted years ago but which party leaders ignored.
“When I said there would be a political tsunami, people laughed,” Wike said. “But you can see it now. Governors and senators are leaving their parties. Isn’t that a tsunami? Look at what happened in Edo and Bauchi States, where senators left the PDP for the APC. I said it from day one if the PDP continues on its current path, it will keep losing.”
According to Wike, the ongoing exodus is not a coincidence but the direct consequence of the PDP’s failure to embrace internal democracy and address long-standing grievances among its members. He noted that he had consistently cautioned the party against sidelining loyal members and manipulating key processes, including congresses and conventions.
“I’ve been consistent,” Wike continued. “I warned that if the party failed to correct itself, it would regret it and that is what is happening today. Even during the convention talks, I knew they were playing games. I told them what they were doing would backfire.”
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Wike, who served as governor of Rivers State between 2015 and 2023, was a key player in the PDP’s internal battles leading up to the 2023 general election. His public disagreements with the party’s leadership particularly over zoning and the presidential ticket eventually led to deep divisions within the ranks.
He insisted that his criticisms of the PDP leadership were not driven by bitterness or personal loss but by a genuine desire to see the party reform itself and remain relevant in Nigeria’s political space.
“That’s not true,” he said, responding to suggestions that his stance was fueled by resentment over losing the PDP presidential ticket to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in 2022. “I’m not bitter. What I’ve always demanded is fairness and adherence to process. When issues like the party secretary arose, I said, ‘Follow the right procedure.’ They didn’t. They thought they could manipulate things and see where it has led the party today.”
Wike maintained that the party’s current troubles could have been avoided if its leadership had listened to internal voices calling for transparency, inclusivity, and respect for established procedures. He added that until the PDP confronts its internal contradictions, more members are likely to abandon the party.
“The truth is, when you refuse to do the right thing, you will pay for it later,” he said. “What we’re seeing today is not punishment from anyone, it is the reward of the party’s own choices.”
At a time when defections continue to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape, Wike’s remarks underscore his transformation from a once loyal party enforcer to one of the most outspoken critics of the PDP’s internal politics.
