*Says Only PDP Can Challenge Tinubu In 2027
THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has advised the recently unveiled coalition against President Bola Tinubu to desist from using Nigerians, insisting only the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) can actually challenge Tinubu in 2027.
Wike, who stated this during his monthly media parley in Abuja, on Thursday, July 3, faulted the rhetoric that Nigerians were angry, saying members of the coalition were previously in government and did little or nothing to address or alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.
He stated: “I heard David Mark say, to rescue Nigeria; Nigerians are angry. Mark was senate president for how many terms? Two terms, is it not? Nigerians were happy. Nigerians were happy when he was senate president for eight years. And there was no single project to Otukpo; not one. He was flying with helicopter to go to Otukpo. Nigerians were not angry then, Nigerians are only angry now.
He alleged that Mark wanted to be chairman of PDP, but was resisted and has now gone to take that of the ADC. Mark, as leader of the PDP in his area, lost elections, but his daughter, who ran under the All Progressives Congress (APC), won to the House of Representatives.
“When Rotimi Amaechi was minister for eight years, Nigerians were not angry. When Nigeria became indebted, Chinese loan, Nigerians were happy. It’s now Nigerians are angry.
“I saw Seriake Dickson. They are saying Nigerians are angry. They want to rescue Nigeria.
“So, I’m asking this simple question: What happened to Air Nigeria? Nigerians were happy then.
When they went to APC in 2015 and took over the reins of power in 2023, Nigerians were happy. Was it under Tinubu’s government that banditry came?
“Tambuwal, you were Speaker for four years. You were a governor in Sokoto State. What did you do to make Nigerians not to be angry?”
The minister said he would accept the position that Nigerians were angry if it came from persons who had never been in power, assuring that Tinubu was working to change the situation in the country.
“When you want to go to power, tell us. If there are people who have not been in power in this country, who are coming with such an idea, I can listen to them. But not people who were the ones at the helms of affairs of this country for how many years? Look at where this country is.
“If this President did not take certain decisions he has taken, which may be very challenging, you would have known where we would have been by now.
“A President came and said it’s a scam; took that bold step, we will not allow that. States are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that states are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that we are providing infrastructure in Abuja.
“I cannot say that there are no challenges. There are challenges, but for Christ’s sake, stop using Nigerians.”
Wike insisted that only the PDP could challenge Tinubu in 2027, if they got their acts together, regretting that the opposition has succeeded in decimating themselves.
He added: “The opposition have even decimated themselves. Let me tell you why I said so, now you are talking about coalition. What is the coalition? The only party today, that if they put themselves well, can still challenge this government, assuming, is PDP.”
He lamented that Nigerians recycled the same persons in positions of power, because they chose to vote along ethnic and religious lines, rather than on the individual’s antecedents, noting: “It’s your business, you the voters.
“Let me tell you something. I’m the FCT minister today, if I’m supporting a party to win the election, I should be able to stand and say, this is why you should support. You are the one to say, yes, I’ve seen what you said. I’m going to vote for that.
“But you, the voter, you don’t do that. You vote on ethnicity; you vote on religion.”
Wike insisted that the coalition is a gang of failed and expired politicians who at some ponts wanted, but failed woefully, to hijack PDP.
According to him, Mark wanted to be PDP chairman, but was denied, which is why he left the party for the ADC.
The minister urged Nigerians to consider the ulterior motives behind the coalition, as it is made up of individuals who are hungry because they are no longer in power.
“Nigerians need to be careful of these group of Nigerians who are angry because they left power.
Nigerians know everybody. For how long would you continue to deceive them? Who would want to give listening to these kinds of people?”
