Former spokesperson of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has alleged that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has effectively handed its 2027 presidential ticket to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast show on Friday, Okonkwo claimed that Wike has consistently imposed his will on the PDP, often working against the party’s collective interest.
“You were there when Wike said he will be supporting the presidential candidate of another political party. So where is it? And he has told you that anything and anybody that goes against whatever he says, he will ignite fire in his state if he is a state governor. And he has told you that whatever he says is law,” Okonkwo said.
He cited the controversy surrounding the choice of PDP’s National Secretary as an example of Wike’s dominance, recalling how the South-East leadership had preferred Udo Okoye, but Wike insisted on Samuel Anyanwu, who eventually emerged.
“In fairness to him, it has been like that. The South-East, entire South-East, said they preferred a secretary, Udo Okoye, for the political party, and if it’s not given to them, they are going to leave PDP. Wike said no, it has to be Samuel Anyanwu. And today it’s Samuel Anyanwu,” Okonkwo stated.
He noted that the Supreme Court judgement affirming Anyanwu’s position was not an endorsement of Wike’s influence but simply a recognition of political parties’ rights to select their leaders.
“What the Supreme Court simply said in the judgement is that the political parties have the right to choose whoever they so choose, and the court has no jurisdiction to interfere in what any political party has decided,” he explained.
Okonkwo further accused Wike of anti-party activities, pointing to his repeated declarations of support for candidates outside the PDP.
“What about the other things he’s saying? Is it not crude anti-party to say you’re supporting the presidential candidate of another political party in the coming election? In 2023, he pretended to have a reason.
“In 2027, what’s the reason? And he has made it open. So there’s no party like PDP. PDP, by Wike their leader, has already chosen their presidential candidate, and they have zoned the presidential ticket to him, and that’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Okonkwo claimed.
