Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the much-touted alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) as a fraud, declaring that Governor Seyi Makinde’s presidential ambition is “dead on arrival.”
Speaking on Thursday while inspecting road projects in Abuja, Wike took a swipe at Makinde, who earlier this on thursday announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election under the banner of a PDP-APM alliance.
“That’s the 419 we are talking about,” Wike said, using the Nigerian term for fraud. He insisted that no such alliance exists.
“INEC also knows that there is no such thing as a PDP-APM alliance,” the minister added.
Wike’s comments come days after the PDP faction led by Kabiru Turaki announced that it had formed an alliance with APM ahead of the 2027 elections. Makinde subsequently declared his presidential bid in Ibadan, describing the handshake between the two parties as the “first grand alliance” that would allow them to field candidates from top to bottom.
But Wike was unsparing in his assessment. He argued that the screening of aspirants by the Abdulrahman Mohammed PDP faction “clearly indicates that the party is independent and not in any alliance.”
“PDP has presented a presidential candidate. Watch out to see the name of the candidate who will be submitted to INEC and see whether there is anything called PDP-APM,” he said.
“What you have is Seyi Makinde joining APM to be able to actualise his presidential ambition, which is already dead on arrival.”
Wike further noted that Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed made no reference to any PDP-APM alliance when he recently joined the party, suggesting that Makinde’s claim is isolated and misleading.
The FCT minister’s outburst adds to the growing tension within the opposition as political realignments gather steam ahead of the 2027 general election. Makinde, who will complete his second term as Oyo governor in 2027, had positioned himself as a unifier of opposition forces against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). But Wike’s sharp rebuke suggests the road to a united front may be bumpier than the Oyo governor anticipated.
