Wike Blasts ADC, NDC Over Primary Crises, Says ‘Nigerians Now Know You’re All Liars’
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has criticised opposition political parties over controversies surrounding their congresses and primary elections, saying recent disputes have exposed what he described as hypocrisy within the coalition movements.
Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Monday, Wike said the crises rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) showed that the parties were no different from the established political platforms they often accuse of lacking internal democracy.
According to him, opposition figures had repeatedly accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of imposing candidates, only to face similar allegations within their own ranks.
“You hear people talk about a particular party not doing something and promise that they are going to change the pattern. You have accused the APC of imposition, the PDP of imposition,” Wike said.
“Now you have formed a new party, a new baby, a righteous baby. The messiah, the saviour that would come, what has happened now?”
The former Rivers State governor specifically referenced disputes that trailed recent congresses and primary elections in both ADC and NDC, arguing that the controversies undermined the parties’ claims of promoting transparency and internal democracy.
“ADC said they are the new face of democracy; they said it’s the kind of party that has not been polluted. What has happened is so dirty,” he said.
“See what is happening in NDC. As small as they are, they cannot do a primary without protest.”
Wike also pointed to complaints raised by aspirants during the ADC presidential primary, where former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen rejected the outcome over alleged irregularities and voter disenfranchisement.
“Look at ADC, which said it’s a coalition to take over. While the congress was going on, two presidential aspirants came to say we cannot believe this, saying it’s criminality of the highest order, which tells you who is deceiving whom,” he stated.
The FCT minister said the developments had exposed what he described as deceptive political rhetoric by opposition parties.
“Nigerians now know that you are all liars,” Wike added.
He maintained that older political parties, despite their imperfections, possess more experience in managing Nigeria’s political environment.
“My assessment is that I prefer the old parties that are already there. They have tested it and know what the Nigerian culture is all about,” he said.
