Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has cautioned the PDP against making the mistake of 2023.
At a media chat, Wike said that the party cannot afford to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the north where the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar is likely to continue to pursue his Presidential ambition.
Wike stressed that PDP needs to come out openly and declare that its presidential candidate would come out from the south.
Wike, who is serving as a minister in the government of All Progressives Congress (APC) warned that if his party, PDP plays the same game it played in 2023, “it will backfire.
“This smartness won’t help us. Let’s come out now and let everybody know where we are heading. We can’t send the presidency to the north. I told them. Selfishness can kill a system.
“For example, if Mr president (Bola Tinubu) runs and wins in 2027, by 2031 APC will send their presidential ticket to the north.
“PDP will do what then? We will come back then and say since APC is sending it to the north, let’s give the north our presidential ticket: What kind of smartness is that?”
In May 2024, Atiku had said that he would continue to vie for the number one office in the land as long as he is alive and healthy.
Justifying the number of times he had contested without making headway, Atiku said that even the former President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln contested seven times before his eventual victory.
