Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has claimed that he played a crucial role in building the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) into a dominant political force at both the national and state levels.
Wike made the statement during his monthly live media chat in Abuja on Monday while responding to recent criticism from Chief Bode George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees.
Chief George had faulted Wike over the sealing of the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja, an action that has stirred intra-party controversy. But Wike dismissed the criticism, directing sharp words at the elder statesman.
“If an elderly man has no job, he should sit at home and read his newspapers,” Wike said, insisting that the ground rent in question could not be paid by him or the party, since the property is not registered in either’s name.
“I cannot pay because, first of all, it is not in my name. They cannot pay because the property is not in their name,” he explained.
Addressing Chief George’s claim that the PDP gave him a national profile, Wike acknowledged the party’s role but stressed that individual contributions determine a party’s success.
“Bode George said PDP made me by giving me a national profile, and I agree. But the party does not make you; you are the one who makes the party win elections,” he stated.
Wike went further, questioning PDP’s effectiveness in Lagos, where George hails from.
“Ask Bode George who PDP has made popular in Lagos since 1999.” You are speaking to me, someone who has laboured and campaigned for the party to become the major political force at both state and national levels,” Wike said.
He added that even under former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the efforts made by loyal members like himself to secure power for the PDP did not yield full success.
“Even when Jonathan was in power, we knew what we did for PDP to take over power, but it did not succeed,” he added.
