The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has cautioned that the ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) should not be reduced to a contest for presidential ambition, insisting that the party’s survival hinges on rebuilding its grassroots structure.
Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Friday, Wike argued that winning the presidency without a strong sub-national base would leave the party ineffective, regardless of who occupies the highest office.
The FCT Minister maintained that the PDP must first stabilise and re-establish itself at all levels before focusing on national power.
“Nobody does that. So the whole thing is not about the presidency. That’s what I have never liked,” Wike stated.
He emphasized that a presidential victory without a solid party structure on the ground would amount to little.
“Even if you win the presidency, if you don’t have the sub-national structure, the party is not on ground,” he said.
Wike added that the priority should be ensuring the PDP remains functional after emerging from its internal crisis, rather than fixating on who leads the party or the country.
“What is important to me is that the PDP is still on ground to make an impact after the crisis it has come through,” he concluded.
The comments come amid the just concluded national convention of the PDP loyal to Wike, and as factions continue to jostle for control of the party’s structure ahead of future elections.