Abuja, Nigeria – The simmering tensions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) boiled over today as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, launched a scathing counter-attack against elder statesman Chief Olabode George, dismissing his criticism regarding the sealing of the PDP National Headquarters over unpaid ground rent.
In a media parley this morning, a visibly irked Wike, who recently oversaw the FCTA’s enforcement action, directly addressed George’s earlier condemnation, which described the sealing of the party secretariat as “sacrilegious, unacceptable, and culturally inadmissible.” George had notably referred to Wike as his “political son” and questioned his loyalty to the party that “brought him to life,” suggesting Wike should have personally settled the N7 million ground rent debt.
Responding to George’s assertion that the PDP “made him,” Wike fired back, stating, “Bode George said PDP made me by giving me a national name – I agree, but the party can’t make you; you are the one who will make the party win elections.” He then directly challenged George’s contributions to the party, particularly in his home state. “Ask Bode George who PDP made popular in Lagos since 1999? Then you are talking to me, who has labored and campaigned for the party to be the major party at the state and national level. While in your state, the party has been crying daily.”
Wike, who has been a prominent figure in the PDP and served as Governor of Rivers State for eight years under the party’s platform, stressed his commitment to the party, declaring, “I am still in the PDP. I worked hard for the party. I have not seen anybody who will have the guts to tell me, ‘Wike, you are not a member of the party.’ Who is that? What is his contribution to the party that is more than me?”
The FCTA’s sealing of the Wadata Plaza, housing the PDP National Secretariat, was part of a broader crackdown on properties defaulting on ground rent payments. FCTA officials clarified that the property had accumulated 28 years of unpaid ground rent, leading to the revocation of its land title in March 2025. While the FCTA maintains the action was purely administrative and non-partisan, the timing – just before a crucial PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting – drew sharp criticism from various party leaders who viewed it as politically motivated. Despite reports of President Bola Tinubu’s intervention for the property to be reopened, the secretariat remained sealed as of today.
This latest exchange further highlights the deep divisions and lingering animosity within the PDP, particularly concerning Nyesom Wike’s continued association with the party despite his ministerial appointment under the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and his past role in the G5 faction. The public spat between George and Wike underscores the ongoing struggle for influence and control within the opposition party as it navigates its future.
