Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, on Thursday dismissed reports of an alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), describing the claim as false and accusing Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of promoting what he termed “political 419” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Wike made the remarks while speaking with journalists during an inspection of ongoing road projects in Gomani-Yangoji, Kwali Area Council of Abuja.
The former Rivers State governor insisted that neither the PDP nor the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had any knowledge of such an arrangement, stressing that no alliance existed between the opposition party and APM or any other political platform.
“When I say people are fraudulent, they think I am joking. And that is the 419 we are talking about,” Wike said.
“There is no alliance between PDP and Allied Peoples Movement or any other political party, as the case may be. INEC also knows that there is nothing called a PDP-APM alliance.”
He argued that the PDP’s ongoing internal processes, including the screening of presidential aspirants, clearly showed that the party remained independent and had not entered into any coalition arrangement.
Wike further accused Governor Makinde of allegedly using the APM platform to pursue a personal presidential ambition, which he claimed had no chance of success.
“What you have is Seyi Makinde joining APM to be able to actualise his presidential ambition, which is already dead on arrival,” he said.
The FCT minister also stated that Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed had never made any claims regarding such an alliance, insisting that the PDP-APM narrative existed only in political speculation.
“It’s unfortunate. We know that has been his game plan, and we would say he cannot fly the flag of PDP,” Wike added.
Reacting to questions on comments made by the Rivers State governor regarding his continued membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike dismissed suggestions of any crisis within the ruling party, maintaining that the issue remained an internal affair.
“Sorry for what? Why are you saying ‘problem’ when nobody has told you he has a problem? The man has told you he remains APC. So what is the problem now?” he asked.
“Ask me about PDP; I will answer you. Because how will you ask me what happens? Assuming he has a problem, it’s their internal affairs.”
Earlier during the inspection, Wike expressed satisfaction with the pace of work on the 13-kilometre Gomani-Yangoji road project, saying it was on track for inauguration as part of activities marking President Bola Tinubu’s third anniversary in office in June.
He said the project aligned with the Tinubu administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to expand infrastructure development beyond Abuja city centre into satellite communities in order to curb rural-urban migration.
“Remember that when we came on board, one of the directives of Mr President was that we should not concentrate development; we should not concentrate provision of infrastructure only in the cities. We must open up all the satellite towns to discourage rural-urban migration,” Wike said.
