ABUJA, Nigeria – Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has launched a scathing attack on governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing them of attempting to destroy the opposition party.
Speaking during a media session in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike described their actions as self-serving and detrimental to the party’s survival.
The former Rivers State governor also criticised the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), calling it “stupid” for its decision to conduct another South-South Zonal Congress despite an earlier exercise being held.
“This is a set of governors that want PDP to die. Their only interest is to kill PDP,” Wike said.
“I was a governor when the ruling party under President Muhammadu Buhari tried to destroy the PDP using Ali Modu Sheriff. I stood my ground. I never went to the Villa, never begged for help. I even stopped attending NEC and Council of State meetings because I feared for my life. But I was determined that PDP would survive.”
Wike accused some PDP leaders of playing double-faced politics, saying they speak one thing publicly but act differently in private.
“Forget about these people who say one thing in the day and do another thing at night. I have never played two roles, and I never will,” he said.
He also took aim at the PDP NWC, questioning its leadership and credibility. “Now look at how they are behaving.
The congress has been held, yet they want to create problems. That’s why I say the NWC is stupid. Yes, I said it—stupid NWC!”
Wike dismissed the obsession with the South-South Zonal Congress, insisting that the PDP should focus on more pressing issues rather than power struggles.
“All they are interested in is the zonal congress. Rubbish! PDP needs to wake up,” he said.
When pressed to mind his language on television, Wike retorted, “What will they do? When they don’t have credibility? I didn’t call their names, but they know themselves.”
He accused PDP governors of failing to act as a strong opposition and instead prioritising personal ambitions over party interests.
Wike warned that he could expose their individual roles in the ongoing crisis.
“Instead of thinking about how to strengthen the opposition, every governor is playing their own game. Let them challenge me—I will tell them one by one the roles they are playing. They don’t have what it takes to accuse me of anything,” he said.
Wike specifically mentioned Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, who chairs the PDP Governors Forum, implying that he, too, had played a role in the party’s struggles.
Despite speculation about his possible defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike insisted that he would remain in the PDP and fight from within.
“If I decide to move to APC, I will tell you. But I don’t run from fights. I’m not leaving this party. The governors have the money, but are they even using it for the party? No!”
He also criticised Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, accusing him of wanting to impose his leadership on the South-East without making necessary sacrifices.
“Look at Enugu Governor. He wants to be the leader of the South-East, and I agree with that. But as a leader, you must make sacrifices. Today, nobody bought a PDP governorship form in Anambra. How can you claim leadership of PDP in the region when you can’t even field a candidate in a state like Anambra?”
