Former Presidential Media Adviser, Umar Sani, has openly accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of deliberately undermining the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring that key leaders of the opposition party want the former Rivers State governor to leave.
Sani made the assertion during an interview on ARISE News on Saturday, where he spoke extensively on the worsening internal crisis within the PDP, the deepening rift between Wike and several PDP governors, and the potential consequences for the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to Sani, the turmoil rocking the PDP is not rooted in personal vendettas but in growing resistance to Wike’s influence and actions within the party. He argued that party leaders believe Wike’s conduct has become destructive and incompatible with the PDP’s survival as a credible opposition force.
Addressing Wike directly, Sani said PDP leaders are no longer interested in appeasement and would prefer the former governor to formally exit the party if he believes the PDP cannot function without him.
“As far as we are concerned, we want him to leave,” Sani said bluntly. “Let him go to the APC and see how we survive. We cannot continue to harbour someone who is destructive to the party.”
Despite the strong stance, Sani acknowledged that reconciliation remains possible, provided Wike accepts responsibility for his actions and shows genuine remorse.
“If he realises his mistakes and comes back to say, ‘Please accept me,’ of course we will,” he added. “It is the issue of the prodigal son.”
Sani dismissed claims that Wike’s disagreements with PDP governors are personal, insisting that the crisis reflects a broader struggle for the party’s integrity and future.
“The reason all these things are happening is not that they have a problem with him, nor does he have a problem with them,” Sani said. “It is the problem of the PDP.”
He argued that party leaders increasingly see Wike as a destabilising force, accusing him of constantly engaging in political battles that keep the PDP in a perpetual state of crisis.
“You can’t take people all the time you are in crisis. You are fighting this, you are fighting that,” he said, suggesting that party elders suspect the presence of a “mole” working from within to weaken the PDP.
Sani revealed that tensions escalated significantly when it became clear that Wike would have no representation in the current National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP.
“This is the first time the party is forming a National Working Committee without a single member from him,” Sani noted.
According to him, Wike felt entitled to representation in the party’s leadership structure, but PDP leaders resisted, arguing that he could not simultaneously work against the party and still seek to control it.
“He believes he should have had representation,” Sani explained. “But they felt, no you cannot eat your cake and have it. You cannot work for the APC and expect to impose people in the PDP.”
Sani also dismissed Wike’s legal challenges to PDP processes, describing them as baseless and misleading. He insisted that the party followed its constitution in conducting its convention and internal activities.
“All those issues he took to court are just tissues of lies,” Sani said.
He clarified that PDP met all constitutional requirements for its convention, including securing the participation of at least two-thirds of states.
“If you are going to a convention, what is required is two-thirds of the states. We had that,” he said, refuting claims that 16 states lacked valid congresses.
Reacting to claims by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde that Wike promised to weaken the PDP in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027, Sani said he believed Makinde’s account.
“I don’t believe Governor Makinde would flagrantly lie about Wike,” Sani stated. “He is not known to lie. I am confident Wike said so.”
Despite the ongoing turmoil, Sani maintained that the PDP is far from finished and remains Nigeria’s most viable opposition party. He expressed confidence that the crisis would ultimately be resolved through the courts.
“The Supreme Court has clearly stated that INEC has no business interfering in the internal affairs of political parties,” he said.
According to him, once superior courts affirm earlier judgments, the party’s internal disputes would be settled.
“We are waiting for the courts. Once they do, the matter is over,” Sani said.
Looking ahead to the 2027 elections, he dismissed claims that the PDP has lost relevance, insisting the party would regain momentum once its legal and leadership issues are resolved.
“Once the PDP surmounts this, the traffic will shift,” he said. “All routes will lead to the PDP.”
He concluded by stressing that the PDP remains the strongest platform for any serious presidential ambition, citing its nationwide structure, political reach, and enduring followership.
