PDP Backs Wike's Right to Support Tinubu Despite Party Membership

 The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has defended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike's decision to support President Bola Tinubu while retaining his membership in the party.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, described the decision as a legitimate constitutional right, in a statement issued on Tuesday.

Mohammed dismissed the rejection of Wike's support by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Governors' Forum, attributing the pushback to fear and poor governance among APC state chief executives. He said the governors had initially misinterpreted Wike's backing of Tinubu as an endorsement of the APC as a party, only to later realise that the gesture did not amount to surrendering political territory to the APC.

"The APC governors' demand that Wike should not field candidates to challenge them is a major miscalculation," Mohammed said, arguing that the demand reveals the governors' underlying anxiety over the prospect of facing a stabilised PDP in the 2027 general elections.

According to Mohammed, if the APC governors were truly confident in their records, they should welcome open political competition rather than seek to prevent opposition parties from fielding candidates in the upcoming polls.

Describing Wike as a proven political asset and mobiliser, Mohammed cautioned against underestimating his political influence. "Wike is a force to reckon with, not a force to reject. Those who underestimate his capacity do so at their own political peril," he said.

The PDP spokesman advised APC governors to instead focus their attention on accountability and the proper management of resources from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC). He reaffirmed the party's commitment to fielding credible candidates for the 2027 general elections.

Mohammed maintained that Wike's political support for Tinubu does not extinguish his rights and responsibilities as a member of the PDP.