Wike Warns: PDP May Lose 2027 if Internal Crisis Persists

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), cautioning that unresolved internal divisions and rising personal interests could cost the party dearly in the 2027 general elections.

Wike, who spoke during his monthly media chat with select journalists in Abuja on Monday, said the party has failed to demonstrate leadership, adding that unless urgent steps are taken to address the cracks within, the PDP stands no chance of reclaiming power.

He pointed to a wave of defections—most notably from Delta State—as evidence of deep dissatisfaction among party members. Defending the defection of former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike questioned the outrage.

“What wrong did he do? That he said he was going to support Tinubu? That was the crime?” Wike asked, suggesting the move was more strategic than treacherous.

He also took a swipe at the party’s top brass, citing the silence over the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman’s endorsement of Labour Party’s Alex Otti for a second term as Abia State Governor. “Why are people not commenting about that?” he queried.

According to the former Rivers State governor, opposition parties should be organizing to win power, not warring within. “How many people have you wooed? Rather, they are after Wike. The only crime is that Wike is a minister in an APC-led government.”

Wike didn’t stop there. He challenged PDP governors—past and present—to match his commitment, noting that despite not supporting the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2023, he delivered 100 percent victory in his state during the governorship, State Assembly, and National Assembly elections.

He warned that the PDP is repeating the same strategic errors that led to its 2023 defeat: “You have not won an election, but you are excluding people. This smartness will not help you.”

On Okowa’s exit, Wike said he had warned party leaders ahead of time but was ignored. “I’m surprised PDP said they didn’t see it coming. I warned them, but they dismissed me. Now let’s see what happens.”

Wike concluded with a message of urgency: without immediate internal reforms, the PDP could be setting itself up for another round of failure.

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