…Insists nobody can suspend him from PDP
…Says working with Tinubu is about national interest
…Defends revocation of 5,000 land titles, berates Bode George
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has openly declared that his loyalty is firmly with President Bola Tinubu, even as he faces mounting criticism from senior figures within his own Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Wike made it clear that his collaboration with the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration stems from a commitment to national service, not partisan betrayal.
Wike, who served as Governor of Rivers State before his current ministerial role, rejected claims that his allegiance has shifted away from the PDP. He insisted that his track record and contributions to the party speak for themselves and asserted that no one can question his place within the party.
“Nobody can tell me I don’t belong here,” he stated pointedly.
Amid backlash over his close working relationship with the APC-led federal government, Wike responded that his primary allegiance is to the President. “The only person I put at the top is Mr President. I’m doing what I’m doing to support the government and make a difference,” he said.
He stressed that his role in the Tinubu administration should not be seen as a defection or betrayal, but as a responsible move to advance the country’s development agenda, irrespective of party lines.
Wike also addressed the contentious issue of revoking land titles in Abuja, including that of the PDP’s Wadata Plaza headquarters. He confirmed that more than 5,000 properties had their titles withdrawn due to non-payment of ground rent, some for up to ten years. Among those affected, he said, was PDP elder statesman Chief Bode George.
“Bode George is number 3092. That land was published for non-payment for up to ten years. At that level, single citizen. At that level,” Wike noted, in a firm defence of his actions.
He explained that enforcing compliance with ground rent obligations was a matter of public accountability and not political vendetta.
“It does not matter whether you are in APC or PDP. If you have not paid, you have not paid,” he said.
Wike also issued a sharp rebuke to PDP leaders in Lagos State, criticising their longstanding inability to win elections. “Look at Lagos since 1999. Not one House of Assembly seat, not one House of Reps seat, not one Senate seat. And you say PDP made you? No, you make the party popular by what you do,” he charged.
The minister condemned what he described as a culture of entitlement and complacency within Nigeria’s political elite.
“Simply because we worship in the same church or mosque, you expect to get away with anything? No. That’s the attitude that has killed this country,” he said.
He also did not shy away from admitting that he relishes political confrontation. “I take joy when I step on the toes of big men. Those who say nothing will happen, I say something will happen. And it will,” he asserted.
The fallout between Wike and Bode George intensified after the closure of the PDP secretariat, which the elder statesman criticised as high-handed. George questioned why Wike could not personally settle the ₦7 million rent arrears.
“What is ₦7 million? He should have just said to them, ‘Okay, ₦7 million, I’ll pay from my pocket. Take the receipt back to the party’s secretariat.’ You see, you people are foolish,” George said, in a fiery response.
Despite their public clash, George referred to Wike as his “political son” and recalled the minister’s rise through the PDP ranks, from local government chairman to governor and now federal minister.
Wike, however, demanded results from party elders. “Who is that? What is his contribution to the party more than me?” he asked, challenging his critics to demonstrate their relevance with measurable achievements.
The closure of Wadata Plaza has exposed deepening divisions within the PDP, as Wike’s assertive style continues to stir controversy. The development raises questions about the future direction of the party and the balance between political loyalty and national governance.
