Politician/ Businessman, Tonye Cole, says Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is working to weaken the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).


While speaking on a podcast, Cole who was Rivers state APC's governorship candidate in the 2023 general election, said the ruling party and Wike are aware that the former Rivers governor is working to weaken the party.


“It is an open secret to everyone; it is not hidden. The role that he plays now in PDP is to weaken PDP to such an extent that the opposition to the APC moving forward is no longer there. PDP is aware of it. Everybody is aware of it. APC is aware of it. Everybody is aware of it. He is aware of it. Nobody is holding that secret; it is over there. But somehow it amazes me when I think about it. It doesn’t seem as if PDP wants to do anything about it. It is their cross.”


The PDP has been in crisis since Wike was defeated during the party’s presidential primary election in 2022. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar won the primary election after polling 371 votes to defeat Wike, his closest rival, who secured 237 votes. However, Wike, with four other PDP governors, later formed the G5, which was believed to have contributed to the PDP’s defeat in the 2023 elections. Segun Sowunmi, a PDP chieftain, recently said President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of Wike as the FCT minister is causing problems within the opposition party.


Wike has consistently maintained that he remains a PDP member despite serving in an APC administration.