Political strategist and CEO of Global Investment and Trade Company, Baba Yusuf, has accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of orchestrating a deliberate plan to destabilize the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Yusuf made the claim on Friday while speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time program, where he criticised Wike’s role in internal PDP politics and alleged that the former Rivers State governor is working to prevent the emergence of strong presidential candidates like former President Goodluck Jonathan or Labour Party’s 2023 flagbearer, Peter Obi, under the PDP platform.
“The end game for Minister Nyesom Wike is to ensure that the PDP is not stable enough to bring a credible candidate, whether it is His Excellency Peter Obi or His Excellency, former president Goodluck Jonathan,” Yusuf stated.
According to him, Wike’s influence within the party has grown unchecked over the years due to a lack of internal resistance from PDP leaders, who he says allowed the minister to become too powerful within the party structure.
“The PDP, unfortunately, has allowed this situation. Like the Hausa saying goes, ‘they have slept on their hands and allowed the cub to become a lion.’” Yusuf said.
Yusuf described Wike’s political approach as a “spoiler strategy,” alleging that the minister is acting in the interest of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) by weakening the PDP’s chances of mounting a credible challenge in 2027.
“This is what I call the linchpin strategy of Minister Nyesom Wike. He’s not just creating confusion for nothing; he’s playing a deliberate game to block any strong PDP candidate from emerging,” he said.
Yusuf argued that both Peter Obi and Goodluck Jonathan remain formidable candidates who could pose a serious challenge to the APC if allowed to run under the PDP.
“Either of them would be a very strong candidate against the APC in 2027. That’s why Wike is doing everything to prevent such an outcome,” he insisted.
Wike, a long-time member of the PDP and former presidential aspirant, has been at the centre of controversy since accepting a ministerial appointment under the APC-led administration of President Bola Tinubu, despite his party being in the opposition.
Many political observers have accused him of playing a double role, remaining in the PDP while serving in a ruling party government — a move that has further deepened the internal crisis within the PDP.
Yusuf blames the PDP leadership for failing to address Wike’s dominance early enough.
“This is a situation that should have been handled four or five years ago. The PDP failed to stop Wike from holding so much power. Now the party is paying the price,” he said.
He also criticised the PDP for relying heavily on individual financiers, which he said has given too much control to people like Wike.
“When you allow one individual to fund the party, you also allow that person to control its future. That’s why the party can no longer make strong, independent decisions,” he added.
Yusuf’s remarks have reignited debate over the PDP’s readiness for the 2027 elections and whether the party can survive its internal wrangling. Political watchers believe that if the current crisis continues, the opposition party may struggle to present a united front.
There have also been rumours about possible efforts to bring back Goodluck Jonathan as a consensus candidate or to woo Peter Obi back to the PDP after his successful showing under the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, where he finished third.
While neither man has publicly declared intentions for 2027, their names continue to dominate discussions around the future of opposition politics in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Wike has yet to respond to Yusuf’s allegations, but he has previously insisted that he remains a loyal PDP member despite his role in President Tinubu’s cabinet. However, his continued influence in the party and his alignment with the ruling APC continue to raise questions about his true political loyalties.
