FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has called on those opposing President Bola Tinubu’s administration to stop using Nigerians, insisting that only the Peoples Democratic Party has the capacity to contest against Tinubu in 2027.

He made this statement during his monthly media briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

Wike criticised the claims that Nigerians were angry, pointing out that those in the coalition were once in government and failed to improve the lives of citizens.

“I heard David Mark say, to rescue Nigeria; Nigerians are angry. David Mark was Senate President for how many terms? Two terms, is it not? Nigerians were happy. Nigerians were happy when he was Senate President for eight years. And there was no single project to Otukpo; not one. He was flying with helicopter to go to Otukpo. Nigerians were not angry then, Nigerians are only angry now.

“When Rotimi Amaechi was Minister for eight years, Nigerians were not angry. When Nigeria became indebted, Chinese loan, Nigerians were happy. It’s now Nigerians are angry. I saw Seriake (Dickson). They are saying Nigerians are angry. They want to rescue Nigeria. So I’m asking this simple question. What happened to Air Nigeria? Nigerians were happy then.

“When they went to APC in 2015 and took over the reins of power in 2023, Nigerians were happy. Was it under Tinubu’s government that banditry came? Tambuwal, you were Speaker for four years. What did you do to make Nigerians not to be angry? You were a governor in Sokoto State,” he said.

Wike said he could only accept the claim that Nigerians were angry if it came from people who had never been in power, adding that Tinubu is taking steps to improve the nation’s condition.

“When you want to go to power, tell us. If there are people who have not been in power in this country, who are coming with such an idea, I can listen to them. But not people who were the ones at the helms of affairs of this country for how many years? Look at where this country is. If this President did not take certain decisions he has taken, which may be very challenging, you would have known where we would have been by now.

“A president came and said it’s a scam; took that bold step, we will not allow that. States are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that states are getting more money. Nigerians are angry that we are providing infrastructure in Abuja. I cannot say that there are no challenges. There are challenges. But for Christ’s sake, stop using Nigerians,” he stated.

He also said that only the PDP could effectively compete with President Tinubu in 2027 if the party organises itself properly, noting that the opposition has already weakened itself.

“The opposition have even decimated themselves. Let me tell you why I said so, now you are talking about coalition. What is the coalition? The only party today, that if they put themselves well, can still challenge this government, assuming, is PDP,” Wike said.

He also remarked that Nigerians keep recycling the same leaders because they base their votes on ethnic and religious sentiments instead of evaluating candidates’ records.

“It’s your business, you the voters. Let me tell you something. I’m the FCT Minister today, is it not true? Right? If I’m supporting a party to win the election, I should be able to stand and say, this is why you should support. Tell me whether this is correct or not? You are the one to say, yes. I’ve seen what you said. I’m going to vote for that. But you, the voter, you don’t do that. You vote on ethnicity. You vote on religion,” he said.

The Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party has given Peter Obi, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, a 48-hour deadline to resign from the party over his involvement in a newly formed opposition coalition.

In a statement on Thursday, Obiora Ifoh, spokesperson for the party, restated the party’s opposition to the coalition, describing it as a collection of “recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians”.

“Former Presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Gregory Obi has received a 48 hour ultimatum to formally resign his membership of the Labour Party having formally joined the coalition party,” the statement said.

Obi, who was present at the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress coalition in Abuja, said on Thursday that his decision to join the party picked by the opposition coalition was not made lightly.

Ifoh claimed that Obi had been holding secret meetings with some members of the Labour Party to convince them to join the coalition.

“We are aware of several nocturnal meetings between Peter Obi and some of our members, lobbying them to join him in his new party. We’re also aware that a number of them have refused to defect with him,” he stated.

“Labour Party has consistently said it is not part of the coalition, and therefore, any of our members who are part of the coalition are given 48 hours to formally resign their membership of the party.

“Labour Party is not available for people with dual agenda, people with deceptive persona. The party will not avail itself to individuals who have one leg in one party and another leg elsewhere.

“People who, in the morning, claim to be in the Labour Party and in the evening are in the coalition.

“Nearly 70 percent of the Nigerian population are youths who are tired of the old order, tired of gerontocrats deciding their fate.

“The new Nigeria that the youths are dreaming of is not what can be realised from what we are seeing in the coalition.

“These people are opportunistic politicians who are only interested in relaunching themselves into the circle of power — people who are desperate to continue holding on to power.”

The spokesperson also stressed that the Labour Party remains focused on Nigeria’s progress and called on members to remain committed and uphold the party’s structure.

Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation, says the recent move by the opposition coalition to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) signifies the complete breakdown of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

On Wednesday, ADC was announced as the official platform for the opposition coalition aiming to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next election.

The event brought together politicians from major political parties, including the Labour Party (LP), PDP, and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Commenting on the development, Keyamo explained that under the law, no individual can belong to multiple political parties simultaneously, stating that the open declaration for ADC clearly shows the politicians involved have abandoned their former affiliations.

He said the development has strengthened the APC’s chances in the 2027 general election.

“The emergence of ADC as presently constituted marks the formal dismemberment of the PDP, hitherto Nigeria’s strongest opposition party,” he said.

“Majority of the old guard in the PDP (who have apparently lost control of the Party) have been pushed out of the party by the younger Turks within the PDP. That is why the gathering today was a conglomerate of ‘former this’ and ‘former that’ of the PDP.

“No matter how you look at it, this is just Atiku’s faction of PDP in desperate search for the 2027 presidential ticket — nothing more, nothing less.”

Keyamo pointed out that some APC members who joined ADC had either worked against Tinubu or lost their constituencies in the 2023 elections.

“Their movement takes nothing away from the APC; it is actually better for the party as it removes internal dissenters,” he said.

“The other addition to the so-called ‘coalition’ is a sprinkling of APC members who actually worked against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the last election and one or two APC leaders who lost their constituencies to opposition parties in 2023.”

He also discussed the political dynamics involving Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, suggesting that the coalition leaders intend to benefit from Obi’s support base without granting him the presidential ticket.

Keyamo cautioned that denying Obi the ticket could cost the coalition his supporters, particularly in the south-east and south-south regions where Obi performed well in the last election.

“The person who the old, cunning guards want to take for a ride in all of this is Peter Obi. They want his votes, but don’t want to give him their Presidential ticket, because this is Atiku’s show simpliciter,” he added.

“That is why David Mark is the interim chairman. Those who know politics know what I am saying. But if you do not give Peter Obi the Presidential ticket, you lose his supporters.”