The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has delivered a warning to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates warning that its flagbearers must brace themselves for a brutal political struggle to reclaim power rather than expecting victory on a silver platter.
Speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the high-stakes 109th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting which marked the official inauguration of the 2026–2030 leadership structure and the issuance of certificates of return to 2027 candidates, Wike mocked politicians waiting for power to be handed to them, declaring that the road to the presidency requires absolute grit.
Addressing a packed hall of gubernatorial and legislative heavyweights, the former Rivers State Governor did not mince words about the party’s current reality and the sacrifices required to reverse its fortunes.
“PDP was in power; we’re no longer in power. Nobody dashes power, power is taken. If you don’t do so, it’s your business. The one I’m holding, you must fight to take it. Struggle for power, and when you take it, you will appreciate it. Take the bullet,” Wike told delegates.
Reaffirming his commitment to the party by declaring, “I belong here in PDP,” Wike took direct aim at desperate politicians engaging in double-dealing by purchasing nomination forms from multiple political platforms.
He insisted that legitimate campaigns are won at local secretariats, not through backroom hotel deals.
“Party activities are not conducted in hotels, but at the party secretariats. Everybody go home, go and bring something to the table for 2027. Don’t come here empty-handed. Politics is all about results,” Wike warned.
Brushing off ongoing internal legal challenges and factional threats, Wike remained defiant: “Nobody is afraid of the court. The court is not for ghosts, it’s made for human beings. Let them continue to go to court while we prepare for our own election. The worst has happened already.”
The address followed the formal inauguration of the party’s new executive framework by Mallam Abdulrahman Mohammed, the PDP National Chairman, who officially inaugurated the 2026–2030 NEC.
In his opening speech, Mohammed praised the resilience of the party’s internal structures.
He paid special tribute to Distinguished Senator Olaka Nwogu for clinching the ticket for the Rivers Southeast Senatorial District, framing the win as a testament to the popular will of the electorate.
Mohammed also recognised Ambassador Ibrahim Bala-Aboki, head of the party’s youth initiative, for introducing aggressive structural platforms aimed at bringing next-generation youth and women into mainstream national politics.
Looking ahead, the chairman expressed confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to preserve a level playing field for the 2027 cycle.
Acknowledging the deep fractures left in the wake of the highly contested primaries, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT), Senator Abba Moro, conceded that reconciliation must be the party’s immediate priority.
Moro announced that the BOT would immediately fan out across the “nooks and crannies” of the federation to appease aggrieved factions and unite them behind the party’s official presidential candidate.
“Electoral victory begins with voter registration,” Moro warned, pointing to grassroots mobilisation as the decisive factor for 2027.
“It is not enough to have supporters. They must be duly registered and eligible to vote. Our strength lies in our unity. When we work together, victory becomes achievable,” he added.
The Chairman of the PDP State Chairmen’s Forum, Austin Nwachukwu presented key legislative gains, showing that major fractures within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are already shifting the baseline for 2027.
Nwachukwu revealed significant opposition momentum in traditional ruling party strongholds, specifically citing major realignments in Jigawa and Katsina states.
“In Katsina State, out of 34 Local Government Areas, 16 APC aspirants have defected to the PDP,. Prominent among these individuals, we have three serving House of Representatives members from the APC. We are mindful of the fact that this party must be committed to showing Nigerians that the PDP is the only way,” Nwachukwu revealed.