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By Lawrence Agbo
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) cannot realistically win a presidential election unless it first resolves its internal crisis and rebuilds its political structures across the country.
Speaking during a media chat on Thursday, Wike said the opposition party must prioritise strengthening its grassroots base before thinking about reclaiming power at the national level.
“I have told you that PDP had a problem. Now, having that problem is not easy. To put yourself back to winning the presidential election is not an easy task,” he said.
The former Rivers State governor argued that building a strong political party requires time, planning and effective structures in all 36 states.
“You have not even put your house in order, yet you want to win a presidential election. Do you know what it takes to have structures in all 36 states? Do you know what it takes to campaign across the country? Is it a two-month programme? It’s not,” Wike stated.
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He urged the PDP to focus on winning elections at the state level and rebuilding the party from the grassroots before pursuing the presidency.
“What is more paramount to us is to build the party, show what you can do at the state level, get the ones you build and put the pieces together,” he said.
Wike also dismissed suggestions that Nigeria’s democracy depends on the participation of prominent opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
“The only way people now say there is democracy is if the ADC or NDC participate in the election… Democracy is not about only Atiku contesting or only Peter Obi contesting,” he said.
Responding to past allegations that he was working for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike maintained that he had consistently called for reforms within the PDP.
“I have told our party, ‘Let’s put our house in order,'” he added.
