The Coalition of Political Parties (CUPP) have strongly criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for openly declaring his plan to lead President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
During a media briefing in Abuja on Monday, Wike described himself as a significant asset in Tinubu’s 2027 election campaign.
The former Rivers State governor also stated that he was not involved in any anti-party activity, challenging the PDP to suspend him if they thought otherwise.
The CUPP’s Publicity Secretary, Mark Adebayo, labelled Wike as the “President’s hatchet man”, accusing him of working to dismantle opposition parties.
Speaking on Monday during a media parley in Abuja, Wike said, “I am still in the PDP. I worked hard for the party.
I have not seen anybody who has the guts to tell me, ‘Wike, you are not a member of the party.’ Who is that? What is his contribution to the party that is more than mine?”
Wike mentioned that the PDP violated the agreement for a southern candidacy for president and supported former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, hence his refusal to endorse the party’s 2023 presidential candidate.
“In 2023, did I not tell you that I wouldn’t support their presidential candidate? I said, based on equity, justice, and fairness, the presidency should go to the South because you can’t have that and the national chairman at the same time.
“You, therefore, take one and give us one. Believing that Atiku would win, they said to hell with it, and I said I was not going to support it.
“So, why didn’t I leave the party and join APC? Of all of us then and PDP governors today, who produces the National Assembly 100 percent?? Who produced a governor? Ask them in their various states how many senators they have,” he said.
Wike referred to himself as a valued asset, underlining his crucial role in achieving Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 general elections.
“I am not a liability; I am an asset. Whether you agree or you don’t agree, I am an asset. Whether you want to die or you don’t want to die, I am an asset. It doesn’t matter; you may not like me. I am an asset to making sure that Tinubu wins his second term,” Wike boasted.
The former Rivers governor also discussed the PDP’s chances in 2027, claiming that the party has a leadership crisis, which is responsible for enormous defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress, notably in Delta State and Akwa Ibom.
“It’s a party leadership problem. Look at it. You won’t tell me that they didn’t have intelligence that Delta would go. You won’t tell me that they didn’t have intelligence that Akwa Ibom would go.
“Now, as the leadership, what would you do? Send a team. Ask them, ‘Why are you doing this?’ No, you’re making a mistake. Impunity; let them go. Look, the opposition does not do impunity. No, no, no, we try to beg, beg. Put everybody together. You don’t say, Let them go. Let me tell you, I cannot do that,” the minister insisted.
In reaction, CUPP National Publicity Secretary Mark Adebayo stated that Wike’s support would not prevent Tinubu’s expected defeat in 2027.
He stated, “First and foremost, that is the nature of power opportunism. When you see opportunists in power, that is how they behave. That is their character. That is their character configuration as politicians without principles.
“Yes, Wike is officially in the PDP, but we know his heart, soul, and body are in the APC, and he is in cahoots with the president to ensure his re-election. So, I consider Mr Wike the president’s hatchet man. He’s the political hitman for the president. His assignment is to destroy the opposition parties, especially the PDP.
“He’s an agent provocateur within the PDP. He’s not truly a member; he’s an agent to watch. You know why I call him the president’s hatchet man? Because he’s disrupting and weakening his own party so the president can have an easy ride for a second term. That’s the issue.
“What I am sure of is that in 2027, hunger, poverty, hardship, and other challenges will easily mobilise Nigerians against President Tinubu and the likes of Wike. So, they will be defeated.
“With the unity of the opposition parties and the anger of the Nigerian people, no endorsement will save President Tinubu from defeat in 2027, regardless of who leads his campaign in any part of the country. This government will be voted out.”
