Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed claims that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government is tormenting opposition parties to achieve a one-party state.
The Minister disclosed this on Friday during his routine media parley with selected journalists in the nation’s capital, Abuja.
Recall that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu have faced accusations of targeting opposition parties to create a one-party state.
The controversy is coming on the heels of the de-recognition of the David Mark-led ADC leadership and the Nafiu Gombe faction by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the March 12 appeal court judgment and pending litigation before the Federal High Court.
However, according to Wike, what the opposition parties are complaining about now pales into insignificance when compared to what he faced during the previous administration of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Minister said that both ruling and opposition parties often look for loopholes to gain a political advantage.
Wike said, “It’s not correct that the current ruling party is killing the opposition, and I take exception to that. If there was anybody tormented by a government, it was me, and I never ran away. I was personally haunted under Buhari.
“We fought Modu Sheriff. We won at the federal high court. That victory was one of the reasons the government sent the SSS to impound Justice Leman at the Federal High Court.
“But I never ran away. I hired lawyers, and the matter went to the Supreme Court. That’s how we threw out Modu Sheriff.
“Under Buhari, this is what they did to kill PDP. All these people shouting, it is only when it does not favour you, which of them, including ADC, will say this government is tormenting him? Let nobody say that the EFCC has come after the governor; remember that Bala Mohammed had EFCC issues before he became a governor.
“If you are an opposition party, you know the government or the ruling party will always look for a loophole. That is politics.”
The Minister, who said the crisis in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is over, assured that the party will participate in the 2027 general elections despite speculations about its future.
It would be recalled that the PDP has been battling a leadership crisis since 2025, with rival factions loyal to Wike and some governors holding separate conventions and contesting control of the party in court.
Wike also cautioned the party against presenting a presidential candidate without proper preparation, noting that contesting elections requires both emotional and psychological readiness.
He said the party must build strong grassroots support to remain competitive, warning that winning the presidency without control at lower levels would weaken party influence.
The former Rivers State governor emphasised the need for the party to strengthen its structures at sub-national levels rather than focusing only on the presidency.
According to him, the PDP has remained active despite not producing a president since 2015.
“I have no doubt that we have a lot of work to do. But what is important is that the PDP will be on the ballot in 2027, as against pundits who have written off the PDP, and we are going to make a great impact in certain areas.
“From 2015 till now, we have never had a president. But the party is still there. So, what is my concern is, what are you going to do to keep the party relevant? Parties will be contesting at the sub-national level.
“Everything is not about president, president, president.”
Wike also disclosed that there was no magic in getting former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former governors of Kaduna and Jigawa States, Ahmed Makarfi and Sule Lamido, to attend the recent national convention of the PDP faction loyal to him.
The Minister said he only made the PDP chieftains understand the reality on the ground, hence their decision to attend the national convention.
“There is nothing like magic, it’s you talking to Saraki, Makarfi, and Sule Lamido and letting them understand the reality. It’s not to chase shadows, but these are experienced leaders in their own right.” Wike stated.
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