Why Tinubu Will Defeat PDP Again in 2027 – Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that President Bola Tinubu will once again defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2027 presidential election—unless the opposition party reforms its zoning structure and internal leadership.

Wike made the assertion during a live media chat on Monday, where he criticised the PDP for ignoring its own constitutional provisions on power rotation and fostering a culture of impunity and selfishness.

The remarks came on the same day former Senate President and Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Adolphus Wabara, inaugurated 40 new BoT members—including former Governors Samuel Ortom and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi—at a ceremony in Abuja. Wabara charged the new appointees to help restore the PDP’s relevance and credibility.

But Wike remained critical, blaming the party’s 2023 electoral defeat on a deliberate disregard for equity and fairness. He said the decision to allow both the presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the then party chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, to emerge from the North violated the PDP’s power-sharing tradition.

“If the PDP does not take care, watch what will happen in 2027,” Wike warned. “Selfish interest can destroy any organisation. In 2023, we made it clear: it is in our constitution, it is our tradition—if one zone takes the chairmanship, another should produce the presidential candidate.”

“They ignored it. People rushed to buy forms, and a northern zone took both the party chairman and the presidential ticket. Arrogance took over—they said, ‘Forget it, we have already won.’ But see where we are today. If they try the same game in 2027, it will backfire.”

He challenged the PDP to take a bold stance ahead of the next election by openly zoning the presidency to the South, insisting anything short would alienate critical blocs within the party.

Since its defeat in 2023, the PDP has faced escalating internal strife, worsened by the conflict between Wike and his successor, Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The party has also struggled with leadership instability in the South-South, including the prolonged vacancy of the National Secretary position.

Despite interventions by key organs such as the National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, and the Governors Forum, efforts to reconcile factions have largely failed. In recent months, the PDP has lost high-profile members to the All Progressives Congress (APC), dealing heavy blows to its 2027 prospects.

One of the most significant defections occurred on April 23, when Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and other party chieftains declared support for President Tinubu and defected to the ruling APC.

Defending the Delta defections, Wike said there was nothing wrong with Oborevwori’s decision to align with Tinubu, adding that such transparency is preferable to hypocrisy.

“People are shouting about the governor of Delta and his team moving to APC—what crime did he commit? Is it because he declared support for Tinubu? But the Chairman of the PDP BoT endorsed Alex Otti of the Labour Party for a second term. No one is talking about that,” he said.

“This man simply refused to pretend. He chose to openly support the President. That’s smart politics. I’m surprised the PDP didn’t see it coming.”

Wike also took a swipe at the party’s leadership, accusing it of focusing on petty grievances instead of rebuilding for the future.

“For any serious opposition, leadership is key. Yet the PDP acts with impunity, as if it’s the ruling party,” he said. “Opposition should organise, strategise, and prepare to take over power—not waste energy attacking one man every day. They are chasing Wike while neglecting their real work.”

Wike’s comments underscore the deep fractures within the PDP as it battles to reclaim relevance ahead of the next general elections, while the ruling APC, under Tinubu, continues to consolidate power.