- Wike says his political strategy is to keep opposition leaders under pressure ahead of the 2027 elections.
- The FCT minister says the PDP crisis has weakened the opposition and made it difficult to identify a formidable rival.
- Wike dismisses concerns about Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, saying he could worsen the crisis if he knew how they felt.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that his role in the political contest ahead of the 2027 general elections is to keep opposition leaders under pressure.
Eko Hot Blog reports that Wike made the remark on Friday while speaking with journalists during an inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja.
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The former Rivers State governor was responding to questions about the state of Nigeria’s opposition parties and the political realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to him, the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party has weakened the opposition and made it difficult to identify a formidable party capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Wike said the PDP would ordinarily have been regarded as the leading opposition party, but its prolonged internal crisis had affected its ability to provide effective opposition.
He said, “I don’t want them to feel well. It’s not my wish that they should feel well. My business is to make them not to feel well all the days. Because they will be having high blood pressure. Yes, that’s my job.”
The FCT minister said political contests were not about making opponents comfortable but about defeating them thoroughly.
“So that he will be sick all through. And that’s what we are doing to them,” he added.
Wike, who remains a member of the PDP despite his political differences with several party leaders, has been at the centre of the crisis that has divided the opposition party.
His position in the PDP has also placed him at odds with prominent opposition figures, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Reacting to questions about their possible responses to the unfolding political developments, Wike said he was unconcerned about how either politician felt.
He said, “So how Atiku feels, how Obi feels, it does not give any headache. If I know how they feel now, I will add more crisis for them.”
Wike’s comments come amid heightened political activities as parties and political leaders position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential and other elections.
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