Wike denies involvement in alleged moves to draft Jonathan for 2027 presidential race

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has refuted reports suggesting his involvement in alleged efforts to persuade former President Goodluck Jonathan to return to the presidential race ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Wike, speaking during a televised media parley with journalists on Friday, described the claims as unfounded, maintaining that Jonathan had never discussed any political comeback with him.

“Jonathan has never told me. He has never called me one day to say, ‘Look, I’m being pressured to run,’” the minister stated. “If he calls me and asks me, I’ll be able to tell him my mind, what I feel.”

He cautioned the public against relying on unverified media reports, dismissing them as misleading. “I will not, because you people put something on the page of some newspaper, just like when they said they flew me out of the country, then assume it’s correct,” Wike added.

Recent reports had alleged that certain political stakeholders were mounting pressure on Jonathan to abandon any plans of contesting in 2027 and instead back the re-election bid of the current administration. The speculation of a possible return has reportedly sparked debate within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), eliciting mixed reactions across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

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Wike also distanced himself from reports claiming that former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, was being pushed to emerge as PDP national chairman. “I don’t know about Tanimu Turaki becoming chairman. Maybe he’s becoming chairman for another faction. It’s not the PDP I know,” he said.

The former Rivers State governor, who has frequently criticized the PDP leadership for internal divisions, accused some party leaders, particularly sitting governors, of sidelining key stakeholders in critical decision-making processes.

“Have I not said before now that the booby trap you are setting will consume you? Have I not told you before now, the way these present governors are doing, they will bury this party?” he queried.

Wike further argued that despite no longer being a governor, his contributions to the PDP warrant his inclusion in major consultations. “Are you telling me that because I’m not a governor, you go and hold PDP meetings, call them stakeholders, and then exclude me and you want to survive? Certainly not,” he stated.

Wike, who governed Rivers State between 2015 and 2023 before his appointment as FCT Minister, remains an influential voice within the PDP. He has continued to clash with the party’s leadership over issues of internal democracy and power-sharing arrangements.

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