The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike’s positioning of himself as a dominant figure over the two major political parties, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been described as highly dangerous and counterproductive by Lagos-based political analyst, Lebros Oshoma.
In an interview with our reporters in Port Harcourt, Oshoma claimed that Wike is playing a “double game” aimed at destabilizing the PDP, the main opposition party, to give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu an advantage over other political parties in the 2027 elections. He argued that this tactic is intended to weaken the PDP and eliminate strong opposition to Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“It may be impossible to hold Wike directly responsible for controlling both political parties, but in reality, it is clear that he wields significant influence over them, either directly or through proxies,” Oshoma said. He further alleged that disorganizing the PDP might be Wike’s priority, especially if Atiku Abubakar plans a political comeback. Oshoma described this as a deliberate conspiracy.
Meanwhile, a chieftain of the PDP, Ovonda Onwukwe, also shared his concerns in a discussion with our reporters. Onwukwe noted that the state chairmen of the two political parties—Tony Okocha of the APC and Chukwuemeka of the PDP—are both allies of Wike and hail from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, the minister’s home base.
He stressed that Wike’s dominance in the area could lead to betrayal of the PDP, even at a critical moment. “It would be better if the FCT Minister openly declares his allegiance to the APC and abandons the PDP. Otherwise, the PDP should expect betrayal, as Wike’s allies are in control of both parties in Rivers State and even hold significant influence within the PDP at the federal level,” Onwukwe remarked.
