The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that that he will not be contesting in the 2027 presidential election.
The former Governor of Rivers State also said that discussions about Peter Obi’s possible return to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are detrimental to the party.
He stated this on Monday during his monthly media chat in Abuja.
Wike said despite the Peoples Democratic Party zoning its ticket to the South, he would not run for president while President Bola Tinubu, who appointed him into office, is still in power.
“I will not run. I have integrity, I have character. There is no way my appointer is there, and we are saying he should run, and then I turn around and say I should run,” he said.
The former governor stressed that his decision was rooted in loyalty and principle, not political expediency.
Wike said the PDP would have ceased to exist if not for his love for the party.
The former governor said he doesn’t need to be a governor before causing problems that may likely affect the PDP, adding that no opposition party can survive when there is an internal crisis.
He said, “I have said if we don’t love PDP, by now you won’t be hearing that name. I don’t need to be a governor for me to do what I want to do.
“One thing people don’t understand is if you have a problem, don’t continue to give yourself more problems, try to restrict yourself to the small one you have than to add up other problems.
“No opposition party can survive when they have a serious crisis, the duty of the opposition party is to see whatever way they can solve their problem and it’s not by being arrogant and doing impunity. I don’t need to be a governor before I cause a small problem.”
On the likelihood of Obi contesting under the platform of PDP, Wike said the ex-governor’s return to the PDP is dangerous and hypocritical.
Asked about the possibility of Obi rejoining the party, Wike said: “To what? Bringing Obi to where? You want to kill the party? Obi that was abusing the party, saying it is rotten — so the party is now good enough for him? Ambition can make people even go to Satan’s house.”
According to him, bringing Obi back to the PDP would further erode the party’s credibility and destroy any remaining ideological foundation.
“If you want to destroy this party, dare it — bring Obi. There’s no way he will come back just because of ambition. No more ideology, no longer principle,” he added
Responding to the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, claim that President Tinubu would come third in the 2027 Presidential Election, Wike said El-Rufai’s mathematics is flawed and wrong.
Wike said he would agree to a bet with El-Rufai that Tinubu would secure re-election in 2027.
“Elrufai is my friend, but he failed in this mathematics. He goofed; since he knows Tinubu will come third, he should also provide who will be first and second. I will place a bet if El-Rufai agrees, if Tinubu doesn’t win the 2027 election securely.”
Speaking on Saturday’s local government elections in Rivers State, the FCT minister denied allegations that he supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.
He said that he only campaigned for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in his own local government area.
According to him, “You always say Wike cannot influence what happens in other local government, insisting that he can only influence what happens in his own local government. I campaigned for my people to vote for PDP, and they did in my local government,” he said.
