The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barrister Nyesom Wike, has launched a fresh broadside against figures within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing them of treating politics like a commercial contract to be bought rather than a democratic process to be built.
Wike issued the sharp criticism during his end-of-year media chat in Port Harcourt on Monday, warning that personal wealth and ambition cannot replace the foundational work required for genuine political success.
A Scathing Critique of “Image-Based” Ambition
In his latest salvo against the party’s internal culture, the former PDP governor drew a clear line between business and politics.
“Politics is not like being a contractor. Politics is not about money. It has different rules,” Wike declared.
He singled out what he termed “image-based ambition,” where individuals seek high office without first cultivating the necessary grassroots support and party structure.
“You have ambition, but ambition must follow the rules. You don’t just wake up and want to hijack a party,” he noted, emphasizing the importance of process and patience.
Warning Against Bypassing Internal Democracy
Wike attributed the PDP’s current legal and structural woes directly to the actions of those who circumvent established party mechanisms. He argued that the disregard for foundational processes has been self-destructive.
“Internal processes such as congresses and zoning were deliberately bypassed, leading to avoidable court battles,” he stated.
This critique points directly to the party’s ongoing crises in states like Ekiti and Osun, where the PDP currently has no candidates due to unresolved internal disputes—a situation Wike had lamented in earlier remarks.
The Latest in a Series of Rebukes
This media chat marks the culmination of a series of pointed public statements from Wike over recent days, where he has:
1. Blamed the PDP leadership for destroying the party and creating a “self-inflicted one-party state.”
2. Vehemently denied allegations that he promised to “hold” the PDP for President Bola Tinubu.
3. Insisted that the G5 governors’ fallout was based on political principle, not personal betrayal or financial gain.
The consistent theme across all his statements is a condemnation of what he sees as the erosion of principle, internal democracy, and due process within the PDP, replaced by personal ambition and transactional politics.
As the PDP grapples with these very public indictments from one of its most influential former members, the party faces mounting pressure to address its internal fractures or risk further decline ahead of future elections.
