The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the reported opposition to the political support being offered to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The development follows the reported decision by APC governors not to support political alliances or parallel structures that could undermine the party or President Tinubu’s re-election bid ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Reacting to the development, the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, said Wike has the constitutional and democratic right to decide which political candidate he supports.
Mohammed argued that Wike’s support for Tinubu does not mean he has abandoned the PDP or joined the APC.
“Wike has every constitutional and democratic right to decide whom he supports politically. His support for President Tinubu is legitimate, and as a serving appointee of the President, there is nothing contradictory about supporting the President while maintaining his political identity and relationships within the PDP,” Jungudo said.
The PDP said APC governors had initially interpreted Wike’s support for Tinubu as an endorsement of the ruling party but were now confronted with the reality that the FCT Minister could support the President while maintaining his political identity and relationships within the PDP.
The opposition party described as a “fundamental political miscalculation” any attempt by the governors to determine whether Wike should support or field candidates who could challenge them and their preferred candidates in the 2027 elections.
The PDP further maintained that every political party has the right to field candidates for elections, regardless of an individual politician’s support for a presidential candidate from another party.
The party also suggested that the reported position of the APC governors reflected concerns about the prospect of facing strong opposition candidates at the polls.
“If they have truly performed and retained the confidence of their people, they should welcome a contest and allow the electorate to decide,” the party said.