The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has strongly denied claims by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde that he promised to hold the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
This latest exchange follows a media interview in which Makinde had claimed Wike made the statement during discussions with the president.
Speaking to journalists in Port Harcourt on Sunday, Wike described the assertion as a “blatant lie” and dismissed it as an unfair misrepresentation of events.
“Ask yourself, what is the purpose of a meeting that would lead me to tell Tinubu I would hold PDP for him?” Wike said.
“There was no such meeting. Rather, I, the former governors of Benue, Abia, and Enugu states, and Seyi Makinde went to see the president to discuss elections and related matters. There was nothing like telling Mr. President I will hold PDP for you. Whoever said that is so unfair.”
The former Rivers State governor also used the occasion to mock what he described as “frustration” on the part of Makinde.
Wike speaks about $1m contract claims
Wike has also taken a swipe at Governor Seyi Makinde, over his claims regarding a $1 million contract.
Makinde, in an earlier conversation, recalled that he earned his first $1 million at the age of 29, while Wike was reportedly completing his law school studies and seeking a local government chairmanship.
However, Wike, in his interview, also criticised what he called the “absurdities” of governance in Nigeria, using the example of contractors earning profits equal to their entire contracts.
“You see, it’s only in Nigeria that someone will get a $1 million contract, and his profit will be the same $1 million; if that is the case, only God will help us,” he said.
