JUST IN: Dare Bring Obi to PDP, It’ll Collapse – Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against considering former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for its 2027 presidential ticket, insisting such a move would spell doom for the party.

Wike made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television on Monday, where he dismissed calls for Obi’s possible return to the PDP.

“Bringing Obi to where? You want to kill the party the more? You see some of you don’t have character. Obi, that was saying the party is rotten, so the party is now good for you to come and run? You see, ambition can even make them go to Satan’s house,” Wike said.

“If you want to destroy this party, dare it, bring Obi. There is no way he will come back just because of ambition. No more ideology, no longer principle,” he said.

His comments come as the PDP’s 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) resolved to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while retaining the existing zoning formula for the National Working Committee ahead of the November elective convention. The decision followed a report presented by the Zoning Committee chaired by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri.

During the 2023 general election, the PDP threw its presidential ticket open, producing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the candidate. The move was opposed by southern leaders, including Wike, who argued it was unjust to the South. Atiku eventually lost to President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obi, though still a member of the Labour Party, has aligned with the African Democratic Congress coalition and is widely believed to be eyeing another presidential run in 2027.