• Mocks opposition parties, says primaries crisis exposed fake ‘messiah’ claims
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, has said the political pathway for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027 is clear, dismissing opposition parties as “fragmented entities” incapable of forming a formidable coalition.
Speaking to journalists after inspection of projects in Abuja yesterday, Wike mocked the internal squabbles within the opposition camps. He said the recent public admissions by key opposition figures have vindicated his long-standing position that their structures were inherently compromised.
Dismissing the existence of any genuine coalition, the minister laughed at rival political groups who had previously positioned themselves as alternatives to the ruling government, promising to bring change to Nigerians.
He said the rival political groups have forgotten what they want.
“They all gathered and said, ‘this government is not doing well. We are the face of the new people; we are the ones that will give the people the change that they require.’
“They also claimed they wanted to make life better, however, recent statements from Babachir Lawal regarding internal manipulation and ‘rigging machines’ within the opposition proved that their grand alliance had collapsed before even starting,” he said. Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday, dumped the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over alleged rigged primary elections.
He alleged that the party’s presidential primary election was rigged in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Responding, Wike insisted that experienced politicians knew from the onset that the opposition’s framework was heavily tilted in favour of Abubakar, the former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, rendering any talk of a fair coalition meaningless. “I said it in the morning, if you are a politician, you will understand that the structure was set for Abubakar. There is no need to worry yourself to say you want to participate as a coalition party. There is no coalition,” he asserted.
He argued that criticisms coming from within the opposition’s own ranks show that “things are really very bad in their so-called mushroom political parties.”
Reassuring supporters of the current administration, Wike told Nigerians not to lose sleep over threats of a united opposition front ahead of the next general election cycle.
“So, we are happy. You can see the coast is very clear for the President to be re-elected in 2027,” he said.
In another development, Wike mocked opposition parties, saying turmoil from their recent primaries exposed claims that they are the “new face” of Nigerian politics and the supposed messiahs of reform.
Speaking at his monthly media briefing, he said controversies that trailed congresses and primary elections in some opposition parties revealed a sharp contrast between their public rhetoric and internal practice.
“They told Nigerians they were the new face of democracy and the alternative platform for change. But what we have seen is that even within their own structures, there are allegations of irregularities and protests over congresses and primaries,” Wike said, pointing to complaints and protests — including objections from presidential aspirants — that followed party exercises. The former Rivers State governor argued the disputes should prompt voters to judge political actors by how they conduct themselves, not by what they promise on the campaign trail. “My assessment is that the parties that have been tested over time understand the complexities of Nigeria’s political culture and democratic process,” he added, contrasting older parties’ experience in managing internal disagreements with what he described as the inexperience of newer formations.
Wike dismissed suggestions that the main, long-established parties have become irrelevant, saying political relevance is “ultimately determined by performance, internal cohesion and public support.”
