PDP: Why APC governors are afraid over Wike’s support for Tinubu

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said the rejection of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike’s support for President Bola Tinubu by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors’ Forum was due to fear and poor governance.

PDP said this while defending Wike’s decision to support President Bola Tinubu while retaining his PDP membership in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed on Tuesday.

The PDP statement followed a warning by state governors elected under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against creation of parallel political structures capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election.

Gov. Hope Uzodimma of Imo and Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum made the declaration on behalf of the governors on Monday during a closed-door meeting on Monday in Abuja.

But PDP said Wike’s decision to support Tinubu is a legitimate constitutional right.

The party also said the governors initially mistook Wike’s support for Tinubu as an endorsement of the APC.

According to the spokesperson, the Governors later realised that the support did not amount to surrendering political space to the APC.

“The APC governors’ demand that Wike should not field candidates to challenge them is a major miscalculation,” Mohammed said.

He said the demand exposed the governors’ anxiety over the prospect of facing a stabilised PDP in the 2027 elections.

Mohammed said that if the APC governors were confident in their records, they should welcome open political competition.

He said the governors should not seek to prevent opposition parties from fielding candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Describing Wike as a proven political asset and mobiliser, Mohammed warned against underestimating his political influence.

“Wike is a force to reckon with, not a force to reject. Those who underestimate his capacity do so at their own political peril,” he said.

The PDP spokesman advised APC governors to focus on accountability and proper management of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) resources.

He said the party remained committed to fielding credible candidates for the 2027 general elections.

Mohammed maintained that Wike’s political support for Tinubu did not extinguish his rights and responsibilities as a PDP member. (NAN)

OBE/KTO