BLAME NOT FCT MINISTER WIKE, BUT YOURSELVES WHO TURN PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS TO JAMB ADMISSION LISTS

 BLAME NOT FCT MINISTER WIKE, BUT YOURSELVES WHO TURN PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS TO JAMB ADMISSION LISTS

Press Statement by the National President, PDP National Youth Movement. (PDP - NYM) 

The attention of the leadership of the PDP National Youth Movement (PDP NYM) has been drawn to the recent statements and posturing of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) concerning the political activities of the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Wike, the national leader of PDP, particularly his advocacy of the emerging Rainbow Coalition in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.

We consider it necessary to state clearly that the Progressive Governors Forum should look inward before pointing accusing fingers at Minister Wike.

If there is dissatisfaction with the emergence of political coalitions across party lines, the appropriate question should be directed at those responsible for the political circumstances that created the present situation—not at a politician exercising his political judgment and openly declaring his position.

Minister Wike has been unequivocal: his support is for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election, not an arrangement to stop the PDP from participating in governorship, National Assembly or State House of Assembly elections. He has also explained that the Rainbow Coalition is a platform bringing together people from different political parties including those humiliated by progressive Governors with unprecedented manipulative primary election ever witnessed in the history of Nigeria democratic history who wish to support the President.

 *Who Turned Primary Election Results Into JAMB Admission Lists* 

The political class must stop pretending that every electoral problem begins and ends with Nyesom Wike.

For years, Nigerians have witnessed situations where internal party processes, primary elections and political nominations have generated controversies over transparency, fairness and the treatment of aspirants. Therefore, those who have presided over such processes such as state Governor most especially the ruling APC Governors should first examine their own political shelves before accusing others of creating alternative political arrangements.

You cannot turn your own primary election results into something resembling a JAMB admission list—where names appear, disappear, are substituted or are interpreted according to political convenience—and then blame Nyesom Wike for seeking alternative political engagement to accommodate aggrieved political heavy weights.

Political parties and political leaders must accept responsibility for the consequences of their decisions.

The Rainbow Coalition is Not An Attack on APC and will never be but a support pillar for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu 

The PGF's concern about protecting APC candidates is understandable from a partisan perspective, but it should not be confused with an entitlement to control who other Nigerians, PDP members or politicians may support for the presidency.

Minister Wike has made his position clear that the Rainbow Coalition is not an APC structure and is not designed to prevent PDP from contesting other offices.

The political reality is simple: a politician may support a presidential candidate while his political party contests other elective positions.

Indeed, Wike has pointed to the 2023 experience in Imo, Abia, Enugu and Ebonyi, where voters supported different parties at presidential and National Assembly levels.

Therefore, nobody should manufacture a political crisis where none exists.

If PDP Had Not Taken Its Present Position, it's not a gain saying that the galvanization of northern votes by ADC and southern votes by NDC against president Tinubu re election would have gain more mometum 

In our view, the present political realignment should be understood within the broader struggle over the presidential election rather than reduced to a personal disagreement between Wike and the APC governors.

If the PDP and its leading political actors had completely abandoned the national political space, those presently building alternative coalitions would have had an even wider field to operate in.

Rather than attacking every individual who contributes to President Tinubu's national coalition, APC Governors should concentrate on marketing single handed hand picked candidates and building structures capable of competing fairly at the polls.

Since the removal of the fuel subsidy, state governments have received increased statutory allocations.

What measurable improvement has each state government delivered to its people with the resources available to it?

It is not enough to hold political meetings in Abuja and issue statements against Rainbow Coalition activities. Nigerians want to know how resources meant for development are being translated into roads, healthcare, education, employment opportunities, food security and economic relief.

The PDP National Youth Movement therefore salutes Barr. Nyesom Wike, CON, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, for what we regard as his consistency and openness regarding his political position.

He has publicly declared his support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's 2027 re-election while maintaining that the PDP can continue to field candidates for other elective offices.

That position may generate political debate, but it is a position he has openly defended.

We particularly commend his insistence that political actors should focus on the presidential election without pretending that supporting the President automatically means surrendering every other electoral contest.

Politics is built on trust, commitments and agreements.

Where political actors enter into an understanding to support one another at a particular stage of the political process, keeping one's word should not suddenly become a crime simply because circumstances have changed.

Minister Wike supported President Tinubu in 2023 alongside members of the G5, and he has again declared his intention to support the President in 2027. His decision should therefore be debated politically, not demonised personally.

We cannot preach political loyalty when it benefits us and condemn it when it does not.

The PDP National Youth Movement will continue to support democratic participation, political accountability and the right of Nigerians and political actors to make their choices freely.

We therefore call on the Progressive Governors Forum to stop treating the Rainbow Coalition as a personal war against APC governors.

The real contest is at the polling unit. Let the people decide.

Signed:

Citizen S. A. Lukman (AiG)

National President

PDP National Youth Movement (PDP NYM)