Edo election: Wike declares he won’t support Obaseki after media reports indicted him of funding APC ahead of guber poll
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister and member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyesom Wike, yesterday, hurriedly announced that he won’t support his party at the forthcoming governorship election in Edo state.
Wike’s declaration follows media reports that he donated huges sums of money to the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign council in the state.
To distract Nigerians from the report, the minister quickly announced that he was not supporting his party because Governor Godwin Obaseki was an ”ingrate.”
The news that Wike donated to the APC governorship campaign in Edo state had gone viral on social media earlier in the day.
The controversial move comes despite Wike’s membership in the PDP, signaling deepening fractures within the party ahead of the upcoming Edo State election on September 21, 2024.
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Wike has long been at odds with Obaseki, accusing him of failing to support his presidential ambitions in 2023, when the PDP delegates gathered in Abuja to select its candidate.
Sources close to Wike have revealed that his grudge against Obaseki is not limited to the personal level but has evolved into a full-blown vendetta against the PDP.
“Wike hasn’t forgiven Obaseki for refusing to back his presidential bid. He was banking on the support of all PDP governors, and when Obaseki didn’t stand by him, it was a turning point. He vowed then that he would make sure the the governor pays for it,” said a source close to Wike’s political circle.
The minister’s decision to financially back the APC in Edo State is seen as an open declaration of war against his party.
Beyond his financial support, Wike is accused of wielding his influence to manipulate the electoral process in favour of the APC.
According to insiders, Wike has used his newfound position as FCT Minister to strategically place his loyalists in key positions within the Nigeria Police Force and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Wike has already moved some of his loyalists into crucial positions in the police and INEC. He’s pulling every string to ensure the election swings in favour of the APC.
“He wants Obaseki and the PDP to lose at all costs, and he’s leveraging his connections in Abuja to make it happen,” a political analyst familiar with the situation revealed.
The allegations have raised serious concerns about the integrity of the election, with some political observers warning that Wike’s manoeuvring could compromise the fairness of the process.
The accusations have prompted calls for greater transparency and monitoring of the election to ensure it is free from undue influence.
Wike’s actions are not without precedent. Over the past year, he has been openly critical of his party, the PDP, and has been seen aligning with several APC figures, raising eyebrows within both parties.
His appointment as FCT Minister in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, despite being a PDP member, was viewed by many as a precursor to his eventual defection to the APC.
Wike has reportedly told close confidants that his ultimate goal is to destroy the PDP and leave the party for the APC before the 2027 elections.
According to sources, he feels betrayed by the PDP for not backing his presidential bid and believes the party has failed him.
“Wike has told his inner circle that he’s done with the PDP. He feels the party betrayed him, and he’s made it clear he will bring it down before he leaves.
“His aim is to weaken the PDP as much as possible and then jump ship to the APC,” one of his associates disclosed.
Wike’s alleged anti-party activities have not gone unnoticed within the PDP. Many in the party are increasingly frustrated by his continued disloyalty and open fraternization with the APC.
Some have even called for his suspension or expulsion from the party, arguing that his actions are damaging to the PDP’s credibility and unity.
“We can’t continue to tolerate this level of betrayal. Wike has gone too far this time. The PDP leadership must take decisive action or risk losing more members to this kind of disloyalty,” a PDP official who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
