'I no go contest for 2027, Tinubu go win'

BBC News

17-05-2025

Former govnor of Rivers State and di Minister of di Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike don confam say e no get plans to go against im oga, President Bola Tinubu for di seat of di presidency for 2027 as e confam say e no stop being a member of di opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In di build-up to di 2023 elections, Wike bin show interest, buy form to contest to become di PDP presidential candidate but e no win di party ticket.
Former Nigeria Vice-President Atiku Abubakar win am and since den, Wike don dey very open, speaking against di party leadership and oda key members say dem dey wrong as dem decide to give dat ticket to di north.
Since di defeat of di party for di 2023 election, di party don witness a lot of crisis, defections and in-fighting.
For inside exclusive interview wit BBC Pidgin, Wike say di party no stand a chance for 2027 if dem no put dia house in order, even as e say e no get interest to run dis time around.
"I no go contest again. I no fit contest against somebody wey I dey work wit. Who go win am except am?
"You dey for opposition, opposition no dey show impunity, opposition no dey show arrogance, na ruling party dey do impunity and arrogance say we dey power.
"Make I ask you, who dey PDP, Achike Udenwa, former govnor of Imo, e no get one Assembly member, e no get one National Assembly member, e no give im party 3% of di vote, e dey threaten, Saba Egu, former govnor Ebonyi, e no get one assembly member, e no get one national assembly member, you no produce govnor, e dey threaten, wetin you dey threaten, you dey empty. Wetin you dey threaten?" Wike tok as e comment about di crisis wey dey di PDP.
E however insist say e no go defect from di party.
"I no go fit do dat kain tin, I no be fear fear man, I be weak man? how I go build house, you go come come frustrate me, make I comot, who go comot, na you go comot, I no gree you spoil house wey I build, I go dey dia."
'I want peace but na Fubara hand e dey'
On di ongoing crisis for Rivers state wey lead to di suspension of di Govnor, Siminalayi Fubara, Wike say, e dey out of im hands, e dey ready for peace but na di suspended govnor dey run di show.
"Dat boy na my boy, my son how I go fight battle wit am? Di pipo wey I dey fight na pipo wey wan thief wetin dem no work.
President call me say make we make peace, I say oga how you go tell me make I go make peace wen I no go go. If I no wan make peace, see wia e siddon here, I siddon, some govnors, one former govnor siddon.
I tell am say, yam dey for your hand and di knife. Na you know how you want di peace. If you want beta peace, you take, if you want wayo peace, ok."
Wike also counter allegations say e dey play dirty politics for im own selfish political interests.
"Wetin you expect pesin wey hate you to tok? You want your enemies to praise you? If e praise you e never fail? Wetin I do for my own selfish interest?
My interest be say you wan kick me out of politics I say I no go comot from politics, na my selfish interest? You wan take our sometin wey we don build for years, we say no, you fit carry your governance do, na selfish interest?. Wetin I do? Say I support Tinubu? I no tok am before say I go support Southerner? So wetin I dey do wey somebody go say e no know say na so I go do am. In any case, politics na wetin? No be interest?
FCT IGR increase from 9 - 30 billion monthly
Since e assume office as FCT minister, Wike don commission projects - rehabilitate roads, schools and invest in security.
On di issue of generating funds to fund di projects, Wike say dem bin need to look inwards to generate more revenue.
"I come here August 2023, dat time, wetin we dey get na between 8 and 9 billion every month, but I sidon wit my team, we say wetin 8, 9 billion go help us do, which job, our allocation from federal government na 1%.
We come say we go block dis leakages for our revenue drive, we come dey serious, you fit dey hear say I revoke dis, I do dis and dat na to get our money back so we fit do di job we suppose do. As I dey speak wit you now, we dey hit 30 billion every month from 9 billion."
Wike also address some pipo wey dey compare im work to dat of former FCT Minister, Nasir El Rufai
"I no dey work make dem compare me to anybody, my own be say di President Bola Tinubu come say make I work wit am, I come see say e dey sincere for wetin e tok, e come give me every support wey pesin wey give you job, suppose give you, I come say true-true, dis man want make I support make I make sure say Abuja change.
Na Nigerians dey judge, na dem dey see, I never live for Abuja before. I no dey come Abuja like dat. Dat time wey dem say El Rufai dey I be chairman of council, I no dey come Abuja, e go hard me to come dey tok about comparison but all I know be say dem say El Rufai try.