Wike: Peter Obi’s Return Will Destroy PDP

Wike warns that Peter Obi’s return to PDP could spell doom for the party.
The FCT Minister blames PDP’s 2023 loss on zoning imbalance.
Wike urges Goodluck Jonathan to be wary of those pushing him to run again.

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the possibility of former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, returning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

According to Eko Hot Blog warning that such a move could further destabilize the already fragile party.

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Wike, a key stakeholder in the PDP and former Governor of Rivers State, stated this during a recent interview, where he criticised efforts by certain party leaders to bring back the 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate.

He warned that those promoting Obi’s return were indirectly orchestrating the PDP’s downfall, saying the party must avoid repeating past mistakes.

According to him, Obi once discredited the PDP and shouldn’t now seek to benefit from the same platform.

“You want to bring Obi back to this party? That would be a disaster. He was the one who openly condemned the PDP, called it decayed and irredeemable. Now, because of ambition, the same party has suddenly become useful?” Wike said.

He added:

“Some people will do anything just to grab power even if it means going to the devil’s doorstep. But if you try it with this party, it’ll collapse completely.”

Obi, who was the running mate to Atiku Abubakar in the 2019 presidential election under the PDP, later exited the party to contest the 2023 presidency on the Labour Party’s platform.

Before joining PDP, he governed Anambra State under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), a party he once promised never to leave.

Wike also took a swipe at party leaders lobbying former President Goodluck Jonathan to consider the 2027 presidential ticket. He advised Jonathan to remember the role some of those same individuals played in his failed 2015 re-election bid.

“They are trying to deceive him again. These are the same people who worked against him in 2015,” he said.

The FCT Minister stressed that PDP’s defeat in the 2023 general elections stemmed from its failure to respect zoning arrangements and the principle of fairness.

“From the beginning, I warned PDP—they were heading for trouble. You can’t have both the presidential candidate and the national chairman from the same region. That imbalance cost us,” he said.

He maintained that Obi’s return would only erode what remains of the PDP’s integrity, warning that political ambition must not be placed above party unity and justice.

“Obi has already painted the party in bad light publicly. Now he wants to return because of ambition? That will destroy what little credibility is left,” Wike said.

He called on the PDP to rebuild by prioritising fairness, equity, and rotational leadership, especially as talks begin ahead of the 2027 elections.

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