Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has boldly stated that he was instrumental in building the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into the political force it is today. He made the statement during his live media chat on Monday in Abuja, addressing the ongoing backlash over the sealing of the PDP National Secretariat due to unpaid ground rent.
According to Wike, the PDP may have given him visibility, but his strategic efforts were what made the party win elections. “Bode George said PDP made me by giving me a national profile, and I agree. But the party does not make you; you are the one who makes the party win elections,” he said.
Wike Blasts Bode George Over PDP Ground Rent
Responding directly to the statements by PDP elder statesman, Bode George, Wike dismissed his criticism, saying George had no political impact in Lagos. He questioned why the elder politician was concerned about party matters when he couldn’t even deliver his home state. “If an elderly man has no job, he should sit at home and read his newspapers,” Wike remarked.
He maintained that the FCT Administration sealed the PDP office strictly based on legal procedures. “I cannot pay because, first of all, it is not in my name. They cannot pay because the property is not in their name,” he clarified.
Wike Says PDP’s National Success Was His Work
Wike said his efforts during former President Jonathan’s administration helped solidify PDP’s presence in many states, even though the party eventually lost power. He implied that without figures like him, the PDP wouldn’t have survived post-2015. “Ask Bode George who PDP has made popular in Lagos since 1999,” Wike stated.
He insisted he has nothing to apologise for and warned that his legacy within the party cannot be erased by those who “have never won their polling units.”
Wike Says He Made PDP a Political Force: The Real Message
By the end of the interview, Wike had made his position clear. He believes his name carries political weight, not because of the PDP, but because of his work within the party. The headline Wike says he made PDP a political force was reinforced in his every comment, linking the party’s national relevance directly to his personal efforts.