Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed ongoing discussions about forming a political coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu, describing them as insincere and self-serving.
Speaking in Abuja during a media chat on Friday, Wike accused those promoting the coalition of ignoring internal issues within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nigeria’s leading opposition party.
“Those who are looking for a coalition are for selfish interests, the likes of Atiku and other people, which coalition, with whom?” he asked.
He criticized party leaders for prioritizing personal ambition over efforts to strengthen the party.
“Why not come in to repair your party? Everybody wants to become president of the country, nobody wants to say, look, let me build our party so that at the end of the day, our party will be in a formidable position as an opposition party to take over power.
“You don’t do that, the only thing you want to do is let me find a way; how I will be the one, and if that does not happen, then it’s to your tent, oh Israel,” Wike added.
This comes as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai are reportedly at the forefront of a coalition plan aimed at unseating President Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
However, Wike insisted the coalition push lacks substance and warned that the PDP risks repeating the same errors that contributed to its loss in 2023.
“You make the mistake yesterday, you want to repeat the same mistake today, tomorrow you make the same mistake, and then you come out to say you were rigged out, who rigged you out? You’ve already rigged yourself by causing crisis,” he stated.
The minister went further to say that the PDP is currently not in shape to contest the 2027 polls.
“The PDP is not ready for the 2027 election. It is very obvious. For instance, I have an examination and I am going to class to read. Indeed, am I reading? Am I studying? You don’t need to deceive anybody that you are reading. You are only trying to read so that people will see that you have carried your bag to class,” he explained.
“That is the situation of the PDP. So, they cannot say for sure that they are ready for 2027. Power struggle cannot help the party,” Wike concluded.
