Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has urged candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prepare for tough electoral contests, saying political power is earned through determination, not handed out.
Speaking on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at the party’s 109th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, where Certificates of Return were presented to candidates who emerged from the PDP’s primaries, Wike charged governorship aspirants and other flag bearers to remain resolute and confident.
He said anyone seeking elective office must be ready for the demands of political competition, stressing that success comes through perseverance rather than entitlement.
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The former Rivers State governor recalled that his bid for a local government chairmanship ended in a legal battle that reached the Supreme Court, saying his political career was built through struggle, not favour.
Wike also warned candidates against showing fear, noting that their confidence would inspire party supporters ahead of the elections.
His remarks came days after APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, during the inauguration of road projects in Abuja on Monday, June 22, 2026, praised Wike’s performance as FCT minister and expressed a desire to have him join the ruling party.
The PDP, however, dismissed the speculation. In a statement issued on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, Jungudo Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary of the Wike-backed faction, said the minister remains one of the party’s strongest political assets and that his role in President Bola Tinubu’s administration is a national assignment, not a prelude to defection.