***Defends Role in Tinubu’s Cabinet, Accuses PDP Leadership of Hypocrisy

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has fired back at critics within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that no one in the party has the authority or moral standing to expel him.

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a powerful PDP stakeholder, made the bold assertion on Monday during a live media chat in Abuja, amid growing calls for his expulsion over his role in the APC-led federal government.

“I am still a proud member of the PDP. I worked hard for this party. Let anyone who thinks they can sack me come forward. What have they contributed that is more than I have?” Wike challenged.

Defending his political choices, Wike referenced the 2023 general elections where he and the G5 governors openly opposed the PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, citing the principle of equity and the need for power rotation.

“I told you in 2023 I wouldn’t support the PDP candidate. Why? Because it was about justice. You cannot have the presidential candidate and the party chairman from the same zone. We asked for balance. They refused. That’s not equity,” he said.

Wike lashed out at what he described as the hypocrisy and double standards of some PDP leaders, singling out Chief Olabode George, who backed the Labour Party during the polls.

“Olabode George supported the Labour Party, but I supported the APC candidate for fairness. We all agreed the presidency should go South. What offence did I commit?” he asked.

The FCT Minister also dismissed accusations of betrayal for serving in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet, insisting that he followed due process and consulted widely within the party before accepting the ministerial role.

“I didn’t sneak into government. I wrote to the PDP zonal body, my state governor, and the national secretariat before accepting. Let them deny it if they can,” Wike declared.

He further accused current PDP governors of double-dealing, revealing that many of them had nominated individuals for appointments in the APC-led administration.

“When the federal government asked governors to submit names for board appointments, PDP governors all sent theirs. So why is it wrong for me to serve as Minister?” he queried.

Reaffirming his loyalty to the PDP, Wike emphasized that he remains firmly rooted in the party and will not be intimidated into silence by those he believes are pursuing selfish agendas.

“No one can sack me. I know my worth. I know what I’ve done for this party. I will keep speaking the truth,” he stated.

Wike’s comments have once again stirred debate within the PDP as the party grapples with internal tensions and conflicting loyalties in the build-up to the 2027 elections.

Unapologetic and combative, Wike continues to wield significant influence—both within his party and in the federal government—positioning himself as a central player in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to individuals and institutions defaulting on ground rent payments, vowing to enforce full compliance regardless of status or influence.

Speaking during a media chat in Abuja on Monday, the no-nonsense minister made it clear that high-ranking elites would not be shielded from the law.

> “I derive joy in stepping on the toes of big people,” Wike said defiantly. “They must obey the rules like everyone else.”

He criticized what he described as a hypocritical culture among Nigeria’s elite — individuals who admire structure and discipline abroad but return home only to disregard simple civic obligations.

“They travel abroad and see how those societies work. But when they return, they refuse to follow basic rules. That will no longer be tolerated,” he stated.

Wike signaled the end of an era in which powerful individuals routinely evaded their statutory responsibilities, particularly concerning land administration.

“This time, something will happen,” he warned, hinting at imminent enforcement measures against defaulters.

The Minister’s remarks come amid a broader reform drive aimed at improving revenue generation and restoring order to Abuja’s land management system. At the heart of this effort is the enforcement of ground rent — a legal obligation for all holders of statutory land titles within the FCT.

Wike’s tough stance is in line with his administration’s emphasis on accountability, transparency, and a functional capital territory where laws are not only made but enforced.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has broken his silence on the deepening crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), denouncing what he described as a culture of impunity and injustice undermining the party’s unity and stability.

Speaking during a live media chat in Abuja on Monday, Wike declared that the ongoing power tussles in the PDP would no longer be tolerated, and dismissed speculations of a personal feud with his successor, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

“I’ve made it clear — this impunity, this injustice, will not stand,” Wike said pointedly. “I don’t have any crisis with Governor Fubara. None whatsoever.”

The former Rivers State governor accused certain political actors, whom he labeled as “undertakers,” of deliberately orchestrating turmoil within the party to advance narrow interests.

> “What is happening in the PDP is the handiwork of people I can only describe as undertakers,” he said. “They thrive in chaos and have positioned themselves to benefit from disorder. I can’t understand why anyone would willingly plunge a party into crisis.”

Responding to allegations that he was interfering in Rivers State affairs or trying to destabilize the government, Wike said he had no such intentions. He suggested instead that Governor Fubara had become a tool for those unable to challenge him directly.

> “I don’t want a crisis,” he stated. “But the governor, unknown to me, handed himself over to those who couldn’t face me. They saw him as a willing pawn.”

In an emotionally charged moment, Wike likened the betrayal to a father being attacked by his own child.

> “You raise a child, feed him, send him to school, and one night, he returns home only to shoot you. Just imagine how that feels,” he said.

Wike also addressed rumours of a possible state of emergency being declared in Rivers State. He denied advocating for such measures and clarified that the decision was entirely within the president’s authority.

> “I am not the president. I never supported a state of emergency,” Wike affirmed. “But I understand why it came up — the government was on the verge of impeachment. Still, President Tinubu, in his wisdom, handled the situation differently.”

The FCT Minister also took aim at “television politicians,” accusing them of prioritizing media appearances over meaningful service to the people.

“These TV politicians make me feel bad,” he said. “They talk endlessly on television as if they understand governance, yet they are disconnected from the realities of the people they claim to represent.”

Wike’s remarks come amid growing factional tensions within the PDP and rising concerns over political stability in Rivers State. While the presidency has yet to comment officially on the latest developments, the Minister’s statements are likely to intensify debate within the party and beyond.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has strongly criticized what he described as unconstitutional maneuvers within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly efforts to remove the party’s National Secretary. He insisted that the Secretary was duly elected at the party’s National Convention and cannot be dismissed arbitrarily.

Speaking during a live media chat with journalists in Abuja on Monday, Wike expressed frustration over the deepening leadership crisis in the PDP, accusing certain stakeholders of bypassing the party’s constitution to pursue personal political agendas.

“Now you’re saying the National Secretary should no longer be Secretary who said that?” Wike queried. “He was elected by the National Convention, not appointed. You cannot just remove him by fiat.”

The former Rivers State governor said the dispute stemmed from a contested judgment of the Court of Appeal, which the Supreme Court ultimately overturned. According to him, the apex court recognized that the matter involved fundamental issues affecting the entire party and could not be determined in isolation.

“There were three judgments — two to one. But the Supreme Court rightly said this issue concerns the entire party and set aside the appellate decision,” he explained.

Wike also addressed claims that the position of National Secretary was zoned to the South East, dismissing them as misleading.

“It was never zoned to the South East. It was zoned to the South. And for the sake of unity and fairness, the South agreed among themselves on who should occupy the seat,” he said.

He condemned what he described as attempts to rewrite the party’s history and circumvent its established processes.

“Some people now want to claim powers they don’t have calling meetings, issuing notices. But who issued the NEC meeting notice? Only the Secretary is authorized. He didn’t issue one. That meeting was illegal,” Wike stated.

The Minister said it was “funny” that those appointed to office now claim the authority to preside over elected officials, warning that such moves erode internal democracy and violate the PDP’s constitution.

“How can an appointee preside over those elected by delegates across the country? Where is that done? It’s a total breach of our constitution,” he said.

He recalled how the removal of former National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu triggered similar constitutional debates, noting that the party’s succession rules were clear.

“When Ayu left, the constitution said someone from the same region should act not by appointment, but by an election. Leaders from the North Central rightly objected to attempts to bypass that process,” Wike said.

Referencing past efforts to broker peace, Wike noted that the Saraki-led Reconciliation Committee had worked to unify warring factions, but some party members had refused to cooperate.

“The committee, chaired by Dr. Bukola Saraki, reached out in good faith. But some people rejected peace. What does that tell you?” he asked.

Wike’s remarks underscore ongoing tensions within the PDP, Nigeria’s main opposition party, which continues to grapple with internal divisions. His defense of the National Secretary’s legitimacy adds another layer to the unfolding power struggle.

“The Secretary is not sick. He is not dead. He is still serving. So why are some people so desperate to remove him?” Wike asked.