Tinubu Hints at Wike’s APC Defection, Sparks Fresh Tensions Within PDP
In a move likely to deepen divisions within Nigeria’s main opposition party, President Bola Tinubu has publicly hinted at the possible defection of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Wednesday during the inauguration of a road project in Abuja’s Katampe District, Tinubu praised Wike and suggested that the APC would warmly receive him should he officially choose to cross over from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“We have somebody in Nyesom Wike. He’s not a member of our party at least not yet,” the president stated with a knowing smile. “But the day he changes his mind and registers with the progressives, we will welcome him. Because we will join him in singing, ‘As e dey pain them, e dey sweet us.’”
The remark, laced with political jest and a reference to one of Wike’s favorite taunts against opponents, drew laughter from the audience, including Wike himself, who burst into chuckles on live television.
Tinubu’s comment marks the first time he has publicly acknowledged Wike’s potential shift toward the APC since appointing him as FCT Minister in 2023. While Wike has consistently maintained his loyalty to the PDP, his high-profile role in the APC-led administration has fueled ongoing accusations of betrayal from within his own party.
Despite his claims of fidelity to the PDP, critics argue that Wike has been strategically undermining the party from within. His support for Tinubu’s administration and his open clashes with PDP leadership have cast doubts on his commitment to the opposition cause.
Just days before Tinubu’s remarks, Wike and his loyalists reaffirmed Sam Anyanwu as the PDP’s National Secretary—an act seen by many within the party as an attempt to maintain control and influence despite his alignment with the ruling party.
Wike’s involvement in the APC government has long been a source of controversy, raising questions about ideological consistency, party loyalty, and the blurred lines of Nigerian political identity. For some PDP insiders, his continued presence in the party ranks while serving under the APC amounts to political sabotage.
Critical Insight:
President Tinubu’s public endorsement of Wike, albeit unofficial, exposes a glaring fault line within the PDP and underscores the president’s strategic efforts to poach influential opposition figures ahead of 2027. The use of humor to deliver a politically charged message “as e dey pain them, e dey sweet us” reflects not just a personal rapport between Tinubu and Wike, but a deeper political calculation to destabilize the opposition.
While Wike has vowed not to leave the PDP, his actions and affiliations speak louder than words. Tinubu’s remarks, therefore, may not just be speculative they could be a prelude to yet another high-profile defection that will further reshape the country’s political terrain.
Reference
Tinubu Hints at Wike’s APC Defection, Sparks Fresh Tensions Within PDP