2027: Wike’s ally threatens to leave PDP, gives reason for backing Peter Obi

Dan Ulasi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has threatened to leave the PDP over Mr Wike’s continued support for President Bola Tinubu.

Mr Ulasi, a strong ally of the FCT minister, spoke on Thursday when he appeared as a guest on Arise News TV’s The Morning Show which was monitored by PREMIUM TIMES.

Mr Wike is officially a member of the PDP, but works under the administration of Mr Tinubu, who is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The FCT minister has consistently expressed support for Mr Tinubu’s reelection as president in the forthcoming 2027 general elections.

Speaking on the TV programme on Thursday, Mr Ulasi said he had told Mr Wike that he would not remain as PDP national leader while supporting APC’s Mr Tinubu.

“I told Wike when we last met, that he cannot be the national leader of PDP and then be supporting President Ahmed Tinubu. That is very unconstructive. It’s difficult to explain,” he said.

The chieftain then said he would leave the PDP if the party leadership does not properly explain such “contradictions” to him in their next meeting.

“And when we meet in the next party gathering- this meeting might be one of the last I will attend. If I’m not satisfied with the explanations they will give, you will hear from me again because I cannot run a contradictory process.

He wondered if Mr Wike would support whoever emerges as PDP presidential candidate given that he has since continued to declare support for APC’s Mr Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

“These are part of the contradictions, which if I am not properly informed and explained to, I will leave the party,” he said.

Mr Ulasi then defended his support for Peter Obi, a presidential aspirant under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The politician stressed that the PDP has a problem given the existence of two factions in the party – his faction backed by Mr Wike and another led by Kabiru Turaki.

He argued that the PDP’s present constitution, with Mr Wike as national leader, means that the opposition party is unlikely to produce a candidate with credibility to stop Mr Tinubu in 2027.

Mr Ulasi said he supports ADC’s Mr Obi because he embodies the capacity to deliver good governance in Nigeria.

He said Mr Obi visited him in his Enugu residence on Tuesday when he and other South-east leaders had “brilliant discussion” with the former governor of Anambra State.

“I will tell you, if you listen to Peter Obi one on one, you will have hope for this country.

“You will have tremendous hope that somebody has a concept of what he wants to do and how he will do it for the overall benefit of our people,” he said.

“I regard him as an instrument that we can use to make this country better.”

Mr Ulasi expressed support for Mr Obi to pick a former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate in the 2027 election.

He argued that the joint ticket would change Nigeria positively, pointing out that Messrs Kwankwaso and Obi are influential in both northern and southern parts of Nigeria respectively.

“What I’m saying is that the concept of Peter Obi-Kwankwaso joint ticket is going to turn out to be exciting; very strong political process that if successful, will usher in a new period of development for this country.

“That is my hope. And that is why we are backing Peter Obi,” he said.

Reuben Abati, one of the programme anchors, reminded Mr Ulasi that Mr Obi may struggle to pick the ADC ticket, considering that high profile politicians such as Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi, are also jostling for the same party’s presidential ticket.

But the PDP chieftain claimed that odds show Mr Obi has a 60 per cent chance of picking the ADC ticket.

“We feel, from what is happening in the country, he (Obi) has more than a per cent chance of emerging as a candidate of ADC,” he said.