2027: Turaki-led PDP rejects Wike’s call to support Tinubu

The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the call by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for PDP candidates to collapse their political structures and support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

The faction described the minister’s ‘rainbow coalition’ as the “greatest threat to electoral democracy”, warning that such an alliance could turn Nigeria into an electoral monarchy.

The faction stated its position on Tuesday through its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, who said Wike’s message was directed at individuals who pretended to belong to the opposition while working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

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It added, “The true and principled members of the Peoples Democratic Party are not part of the shameless, self-serving support for the APC-led Federal Government and its destructive policies.”

Ememobong maintained that the opposition’s primary responsibility was to provide Nigerians with an alternative to the incumbent government rather than support its policies.

He went on, “The paramount duty of the opposition is to provide an alternative to the incumbent, not to massage their ego.”

Ememobong added that any political alliance involving opposition parties should be aimed at strengthening their capacity to challenge the ruling party, not supporting it.

“If at all opposition parties are to have an alliance, it will be amongst themselves, not with the governing party,” he stressed.

The faction urged loyal PDP members to remain steadfast while awaiting the judiciary’s decision on the party’s leadership dispute.

Ememobong said the faction’s case had been heard by the Court of Appeal and that it was awaiting judgment, expressing hope that the outcome would restore the party to its rightful owners.

“Our case at the Court of Appeal has been heard, and we await judgment. We know that the entire judiciary is conscious that justice delayed is justice denied”, he further stated.

The faction also cautioned Nigerians against what it described as elite accommodation and state capture disguised as political collaboration, urging voters to use the 2027 general election to reject political actors it accused of being insensitive and irresponsible.

Incidentally, the faction, which has an Interim National Working Committee (INWC) in place, is not recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and is not fielding candidates for the elections.