Former spokesperson of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, has claimed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has effectively handed its 2027 presidential ticket to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Speaking in an interview on Friday, Okonkwo accused Wike of imposing his will on the PDP, stressing that the former Rivers State governor has repeatedly acted against the party’s interests.
“You were there when Wike said he would be supporting the presidential candidate of another political party. So where is it?
“He has told you that anything or anybody that goes against whatever he says, he will ignite fire in his state if he is governor. And he has told you that whatever he says is law,” Okonkwo alleged.
The Labour Party chieftain recalled how Wike opposed the South East’s choice of Udo Okoye as PDP National Secretary, insisting instead on Samuel Anyanwu, who eventually emerged.
“In fairness to him, it has been like that. The entire South East said they preferred Udo Okoye as secretary of the political party, and that if it wasn’t given to them, they would leave the PDP. Wike said no, it has to be Samuel Anyanwu. And today, it’s Samuel Anyanwu,” he stated.
Okonkwo argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling affirming Anyanwu’s position was not an endorsement of Wike’s stance, but rather a confirmation that parties reserve the right to choose their leaders.
“He maintained that position even before the Supreme Court gave judgment. And what the Supreme Court simply said is that political parties have the right to choose whoever they so wish, and the court has no jurisdiction to interfere,” he explained.
Describing Wike’s conduct as “crude anti-party,” Okonkwo insisted that the PDP has already lost direction under his influence.
“What about the other things he’s saying? Is it not crude anti-party to say you’re supporting the presidential candidate of another political party in the coming election?
In 2023, he pretended he had a reason. In 2027, what will be the reason? And he has made it open. So there’s no party like PDP. PDP, by Wike their leader, has already chosen their presidential candidate, and they have zoned the presidential ticket to him, and that’s Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he said.