Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said his role in the ongoing political contest is to keep opposition leaders under pressure ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the remark on Friday while speaking with journalists during an inspection of ongoing infrastructure projects in Abuja.
Wike Targets Opposition
The FCT minister said the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party has weakened the opposition and made it difficult to identify a single formidable opposition party.
According to Wike, the PDP would ordinarily be regarded as the leading opposition party, but its internal divisions have affected its political strength.
“Who’s the opposition leader now? Ordinarily, it would have been PDP, but because of the crisis we have had, you can’t see a formidable party that you call a leading opposition party,” he said.
Wike said he was not interested in making opposition figures comfortable as the political contest intensifies.
“My business is to make them not to feel well all the days. Because they will be having high blood pressure. Yes, that’s my job,” he said.
‘Our Business Is to Beat Them’
The former Rivers State governor said political competition was about defeating opponents rather than worrying about their feelings.
“When you are having a contest with somebody, your business is not to make him feel well. Your business is to make sure you beat him thoroughly,” Wike said.
He added that his objective was to keep opposition politicians under pressure throughout the contest.
Atiku, Obi Unfazed by Wike
Wike also dismissed concerns about how former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi might react to the political developments.
He said their feelings were not a concern to him and suggested that further political pressure could be applied if necessary.
“So how Atiku feels, how Obi feels, it does not give any headache. If I know how they feel now, I will add more crisis for them,” Wike said.
Wike, a member of the PDP and former governor of Rivers State, has remained involved in the party’s internal crisis and broader opposition realignment ahead of the 2027 elections.
