2027: You Are Clueless, Obidients Tackle Wike Over Jonathan, Obi Comments
The Peoples Democratic Party and Obidient Movement have faulted the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for dismissing the possibility of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, running for president in 2027 on the PDP platform.
Though yet to be officially confirmed, recent media reports claimed that Obi and former President Goodluck Jonathan have been in talks with opposition leaders about rejoining the PDP to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
In his reaction, Wike warned against such proposals, insisting that presenting Jonathan or Obi as the PDP’s candidate could “create problems for the party.”
Speaking during his monthly media parley in Abuja on Monday, the minister also mocked the PDP’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while keeping the party chairmanship in the North.
He noted that he had previously cautioned against neglecting this balance ahead of the 2023 general elections.
He contended that Obi’s return would only deepen the party’s troubles, arguing that the former Anambra State governor lacked political integrity, having previously described the PDP as “rotten.”
“Right from day one, I did say, with my colleagues, you are shooting yourselves, and if you allow what is happening to continue, you will pay. And what did we say? You cannot have the presidential candidate and, at the same time, the national chairman of the party. Now, you have stolen the presidential ticket; they stole it. And again, stole the National Chairman. I said it would purge you. And it really purged them.
“And I have no regret for it. I have appeared on this forum before, and I said the presidency must go back to the South for them to be able to complete their eight years. I never hid it; I said it. And people were making noise. At the end of the day, what has happened?
“Now they realise that, ‘Yes, it is true, we cannot take the President and take the chairman.’ You have given yourself the National Chairman; let the President go to the South. Why not be arrogant enough to say nothing will happen?
On the proposal to give the party’s presidential ticket to the former Anambra State governor, Wike said, “Bring Obi to where? You want to kill the party more? Some of you do not have character. Obi, who was abusing the party, said that the party is rotten. So, is the party good now for him to come and run for the presidency?
“Ambition can even make you go to Satan’s house,” he said
The minister also dismissed the idea of fielding former President Jonathan, noting that he had attained the status of an elder statesman and earned wider respect within the international community.
He recalled how the party betrayed Jonathan in 2015 and cautioned against repeating mistakes that could spell further trouble for the PDP in the coming elections.
“You talked about Jonathan. I respect Jonathan very much. I know he enjoys the role as an elder statesman and somebody that the international community respects. I think he will continue with that.
“These people wooing Jonathan, what is their strength? Are they not the same people who played his game in 2015? Some of these people, you see, what I do not like are people who are trying to play to the gallery.
“How would Governor Bala Muhammed now be saying that the PDP is waiting for either Goodluck Jonathan, the former president, or Peter Obi? For Christ’s sake, nobody should cause a problem for the party. When it causes a problem for the party, you will now say people are causing problems for the party. You are the one causing the problem,” he stated.
The former Rivers State governor dismissed any possibility of him running for the presidency, stating, “I will not run. I have integrity; I have character. There is no way (I can run for the office).
“My appointor (President Bola Tinubu) is there, and we are saying he should run. Then, I will turn around to say I want to run? We are talking like people who don’t even have integrity. What will my children ask me?”
Reacting, former PDP National Secretary and member of the National Executive Committee, Ibrahim Tsauri, claimed that Wike played a key role in Obi’s exit from the party in 2022.
“It means that particular person is not a true member of that political party. And not only that, a man like Peter Obi, who came third during the last presidential election, you tell Nigerians that the party will die if he comes into that particular political party.
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“The fact of the matter is that the Minister of the FCT, as every other Nigerian knows, is working to destroy the PDP. Whether Peter Obi comes in or stays out, his (Wike) work is to destroy the PDP. So, he doesn’t need to threaten anybody, or to frighten anybody, or to intimidate anybody. If Peter Obi wants to come to the PDP, he will come to the PDP.
“If Peter Obi comes to the PDP, and even former President Goodluck Jonathan, I am telling you, he will help the PDP to grow and to return to its former strength. The PDP will also help him. To me, former President Jonathan and Peter Obi are welcome into the PDP. And if they come, I am sure they will be given fair treatment like any other member of the PDP.”
