The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that he has not been invited to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the next Saturday’s governorship election in Ondo State, Agboola Ajayi.
Wike, during a media chat with select journalists on Wednesday, emphasised the importance of being consulted before offering his support for the PDP candidate, stating, “You do not just go and rush for what you are not called for. My party has not reached out to me that they need my support for their governorship candidate in Ondo.”
The FCT minister recounted his previous experiences of party collaboration, noting that during the last Bayelsa State gubernatorial election, he was approached by the PDP to lend his support to the candidate who eventually won.
“I gave him full support; when I mean support, I gave everything and he won,” Wike said, referring to Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State.
Wike, however, said that when he was invited to support the PDP governorship candidate in the recent Edo State election, he turned down the invitation by the immediate-past Governor Godwin Obaseki.
“I will not support Obaseki. Then they said if you will not support him, keep quiet, and I said I will keep quiet,” he recalled.
While speaking about his relationship with the Ondo State PDP governorship candidate Ajayi, he said, “I have not even seen him. In fact, the last time I saw the candidate was when I sponsored him to run against Eyitayo Jegede when he resigned as deputy governor to the late Rotimi Akeredolu.”
He expressed his disappointment over the lack of communication from the PDP leadership regarding the Ondo governorship election.
Wike also criticised the current state of PDP leadership, declaring that, “PDP has never had it this bad in terms of leadership, particularly from the chairman of the governors forum.”
He stressed the need for proactive leadership and effective mobilisation of party members if the PDP hopes to reclaim power in Ondo State.
He concluded with a call for greater commitment from the party, stating, “To be a leader, you must have the capacity to galvanise the people. You are an opposition party, not the ruling party; people should see that you are in a position to take over power.”
Credit: Leadership