Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, remarked on Monday that his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, “appeared not to have learnt,” as he justified his continued support for President Bola Tinubu and his candidates.
During a media briefing in Abuja, Wike reaffirmed that his choice to support the President was not new and had been officially announced in 2023.
“I told you in 2023 that even as a PDP man, I was going to work for the President. That is what I did because I believe, and rightly so, that the other parties did not present serious candidates,” he said.
The former Rivers Governor maintained that his political position remains unchanged.
Wike criticized his party’s internal situation, claiming that it had failed to learn from previous mistakes.
“I have said several times that, as far as I am concerned, my party appears not to have learnt. That is why I said I was going to support Mr President for a second term,” he said.
He also criticized the party for failing to consult him on its candidates.
“As a minister, my party did not consult me on the candidates they were going to present,” he added.
The minister emphasized that his support cuts across party lines, provided candidates are aligned with the President’s re-election bid.
“I said I would support candidates who support Mr President for his re-election. It does not matter which party they belong to. If they support Mr President, then of course I will pitch my tent with them,” he said.
Speaking on the conduct of FCT elections held on February 21, 2025, Wike emphasised that the process goes beyond voting day.
“Election is a process. It begins with the nomination of candidates, proceeds through campaigns, and then culminates in voting. It is not just about a particular day,” he said.
Wike also addressed the controversy surrounding movement restrictions imposed before of the FCT elections, saying that the decree was issued with presidential permission and for security purposes.
“By the approval of the President, movement was restricted from 8 p.m. for security reasons. It was to ensure that people did not import troublemakers into the city to cause a crisis,” he said.
He refuted claims that the measure disenfranchised voters.
“The election was on Saturday, and voting took place from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. You cannot say people were not allowed to vote. That is not correct,” he stated.
Reacting to criticism over his presence at polling units, Wike said he acted within delegated authority.
“The power has been delegated to me. A certain amount of authority has been given to me to act on behalf of the President,” he said.
He denied that he affected the election results.
“I was not on the ballot. I never told anyone not to vote for any candidate. All I said was that I would support candidates who support Mr President,” he said.
In response to allegations of political intervention in council elections, Wike emphasized his political identity.
“Let me make this clear: I am a politician. I chose to be a politician, and politics is about winning,” he said.
Clarifying allegations of voter disenfranchisement, he challenged the claim.
“What is disenfranchisement? If a party says it is not prepared for an election, does that stop others from voting? Disenfranchisement means people were not allowed to vote, and that was not the case,” he said.
He concluded by urging aggrieved parties to seek legal redress.
“If anyone is dissatisfied, they should go to the tribunal. Let the tribunal cancel the election and order a rerun if necessary. The outcome will not be different,” he said.
The All Progressives Congress won five of the six chairperson posts in the Federal Capital Territory’s Area Councils at the February 21 elections.
The ruling party won Abuja Municipal Area Council, Abaji, Bwari, Kwali, and Kuje, while the PDP took the presidency in Gwagwalada.
