Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the newly formed opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), branding its leaders as politically irrelevant and lacking the credibility to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a media chat with journalists on Thursday, Wike launched scathing attacks on prominent figures in the coalition, asserting that only a united and well-organized Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the capacity to mount a serious challenge against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“There is no coalition,” Wike declared. “The opposition has decimated themselves. The only party that can, if they put themselves well, challenge this government is the PDP.”
Wike singled out several political heavyweights for criticism, including former Senate President David Mark, whom he accused of attempting to hijack the PDP leadership before allegedly defecting to become interim chairman of the ADC-led coalition.
“David Mark wanted to be chairman of the party and we said no,” Wike said. “His daughter even won election under APC in his federal constituency, and he lost as a PDP leader. Now he has gone to take chairman of coalition. Let me see who Nigerians will listen to.”
The outspoken minister also took swipes at Ovation magazine publisher Dele Momodu, describing him as politically insignificant.
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“Dele Momodu was never my friend. He is somebody who said he ran for presidency—he didn’t get one vote and that one is in the coalition,” he said.
Wike further accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of lacking political consistency, alleging he has defected between multiple parties in pursuit of personal ambition.
“Atiku was in PDP, he left and joined AC, from AC, he came back to PDP, left again and joined the APC, then came back to PDP and now he has left again and joined the ADC,” Wike stated. “Dem born you, born every time leave, leave. They just want where they will be in charge.”
He also slammed former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, suggesting his participation in the coalition stemmed from political rejection.
“If El-Rufai… if the president did not dump him, would there have been a coalition on his part?” Wike queried.
Addressing claims by opposition figures that Nigerians are angry and seeking rescue from bad governance, Wike challenged them to acknowledge their electoral defeats rather than projecting discontent onto the populace.
“They keep saying Nigerians are angry. Say that you have been defeated in this place; don’t push it to Nigerians.”
Highlighting his own political record, Wike maintained that none of the coalition leaders could match his performance in public office.
“If I leave as a minister today, I can talk authoritatively and say when I was a minister, this was what I did. Let any of them challenge me.”
Despite ongoing internal crises within the PDP, Wike insisted that the party remains Nigeria’s only credible opposition force capable of challenging the APC in the 2027 polls if it stays united.
“Politics is interesting. There is nothing those people didn’t do to take over the factional chairmanship of PDP and we stood firm and said no,” he concluded.