Abuja, Nigeria — The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has publicly admitted to making a crucial mistake during the 2022 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election, a contest he was widely expected to win. Speaking in a televised interview, the former governor of Rivers State shared details of what he claims was a coordinated effort that cost him the party’s ticket.
Wike, who finished second to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar in the primary, claimed that his downfall was a result of allowing his supporters in Kano and Katsina to wear the party’s uniform. According to the minister, this seemingly minor error played a significant role in his loss.
Allegations of Rigging and Betrayal
During the interview on Channels Television, Wike alleged that a secret meeting was held at the home of General Ali Gusau, where decisions were made that were not in his favour. He also claimed that former Senate President David Mark used his military coup experience to rig the election and that former Sokoto governor Aminu Tambuwal was promised the Senate presidency in exchange for withdrawing from the primaries.
“I was going to win the 2022 PDP presidential primaries, but it turned out they were meeting in General Ali Gusau’s house,” Wike stated. “They told [Bukola] Saraki and Bala Mohammed to withdraw; they refused. The mistake I made was allowing my supporters in Kano and Katsina to wear our uniform.”
These explosive claims from Wike have once again brought to the forefront the intense power struggles and internal politics that defined the PDP presidential primary, adding a new layer to the narrative of his averseness to the party’s leadership after his defeat.
