The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has again taken a swipe at Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, warning that politics is not for those who cannot sustain the battles they initiate.
Wike delivered the remarks on Monday during the 107th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Wike backed Peoples Democratic Party faction, in what appears to be a continuation of an escalating exchange between both leaders over the party’s internal alignments ahead of 2027.
The latest outburst follows allegations by Makinde that a faction of the PDP loyal to Wike is working in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election.
Makinde had reiterated the claim on Sunday after a closed-door meeting in Bauchi with Governor Bala Mohammed and Senator Seriake Dickson.
He further alleged that Wike had, at a prior meeting involving the President, pledged to deploy the PDP structure in Tinubu’s favour in the next election cycle.
Responding directly to the claim, Wike dismissed the account as false and described it as a needless provocation.
“He said he had a meeting with the president and me. That is very unfortunate. It is unfortunate that a fight you cannot fight, you started. Politics is not contract work,” Wike said.
In a more direct remark that reinforces the personal undertone of the dispute, the FCT minister added, “You wanted money; I wanted power. Stay where you are as a contractor.”
Wike also used the platform to caution party members against engaging in political confrontations without clear strategy, stressing that success in politics requires more than bold statements.
With the PDP’s national convention scheduled for March 29 and 30, Wike warned that only committed members should expect to remain relevant in the party’s structure going forward.
“After this NEC meeting, anybody who doesn’t show commitment to the convention should not come back afterwards and say they are fully back. I will not accept that,” he said.
He, however, ended on a conciliatory note, urging members of the party to pursue genuine reconciliation while maintaining loyalty, as the PDP grapples with internal divisions ahead of future elections.