Wike rubbishes Makinde’s 2027 presidential ambition, says friendship was only political

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed reports linking him to a fallout with Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over the latter’s alleged 2027 presidential ambition, describing such claims as baseless and “crap.”

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Monday, Wike clarified that his disagreement with Makinde had nothing to do with political rivalry but was rooted in the need to uphold discipline within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Reacting to speculations that his rift with Makinde stemmed from jealousy over the Oyo governor’s purported presidential ambition, Wike scoffed, saying:

“What’s that? We are talking about a breath of fresh air, and you are talking about crap. What do you mean by not being happy for him to be a presidential candidate? Let us not trivialise this.”

He cautioned against desperation within the PDP, stressing that leadership aspiration should not be treated lightly.

“No, please, don’t get me wrong. It’s not about being a PhD holder, an engineer or a lawyer. No, that’s not it. It is not about waking up in the morning and saying, ‘I want to be a presidential candidate.’ No,” Wike said.

“Some people just want to run and at the end of the day become the leader of the party. Assuming you really want to be a presidential candidate, will you allow your party to have this kind of crisis? Which of them has contributed to the PDP more than me, even up till now?”

When asked if his friendship with Makinde had collapsed, Wike downplayed their closeness, insisting that their relationship was purely political.

“What do you mean by friends? No, he was my colleague. We belong to the same political party, not friendship. We are all political associates. And there is no law that says political associates must remain together,” he said.

Explaining the cause of their disagreement, the former Rivers State governor said it was based on internal party issues.

“It is about keeping the PDP, obeying the rules of law, and allowing the party to be what it’s supposed to be,” Wike stated.

He also denied betraying Makinde or any member of the G-5 group of governors, adding that he had, in fact, warned Makinde about his approach to handling party matters.

“When his senior brother died, I went with ex-Governor Ortom, Ugwuanyi of Enugu, and the former governor of Abia, Senator Ohuabunwa, to pay him a condolence visit. I told him, ‘Seyi, the way you are going, you will destroy the party. The way you are going, it will not help us.’ You’re my friend and my brother. Calm down. Take it easy. Look at the crisis now. What do you want me to do? I have never, and cannot, betray anybody,” Wike said.

He added that Makinde had never personally informed him of any presidential ambition.

On the 2027 elections, Wike said discussions were premature, noting that the PDP must first rebuild its internal structures.

“Let us get to convention first. We are still trying to see how we can elect a National Working Committee before we can talk about the National Convention,” he said.