Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the internal struggle that afflicted the party has subsided, announcing that the door is now open for former members seeking a return. Wike stated this while speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Friday, where he likened politics to a game of football rather than a “fight to finish”.
He urged aggrieved politicians to set aside personal differences for the sake of the party’s progress.
Addressing the fallout from the party’s recent national convention, the former Rivers State governor stated that the time for internal bickering had passed, stressing that the party was now focused on reconciliation and rebuilding its ranks.
He said, 'As far as I’m concerned, the convention has come and gone. People are trooping in. I will say, the door is open. Yes, we have had crises. Now the crisis is over. Do we still have to shut our doors? No. Certainly not. ”.
The minister revealed that several members who had previously dumped the PDP had already indicated their interest of returning, noting that the political environment was becoming increasingly acceptable for those ready to do the work.
He chides at those with the do-or-die mentality often associated with Nigerian politics, suggesting that such an approach made reconciliation impossible.
He revealed that the party’s recent struggles were a misunderstanding of intentions rather than a permanent fracture.
“Politics is not a fight to finish. It’s like a game, like a football. If you see it as a do-or-die situation, it becomes difficult to reconcile. For us, it’s not that way.
“We have had our differences, but if you’re really sincere, there’s nothing left. We can do it together and move the party forward,” he said.
Wike warned aspiring candidates that visibility and hard work, not just titles, earned political relevance.
He hinted that those who remained on the sidelines would not be recognised as serious contenders in future polls.
“There’s no doubt that we have a lot of work to do, but what is important is that we have put the convention behind us,” he added.
The main opposition party PDP has been engulfed in a leadership crisis since 2025, with rival factions holding separate conventions and fighting for control of the party in court.
The move that some political analysts believe was a deliberate action to weaken the opposition unity ahead of the 2027 general election.
