FCT Minister Nyesom Wike may already be laying the groundwork for another presidential bid, according to Arise Television anchor Rufai Oseni.
Oseni made the claim while weighing in on the growing disagreement between Wike and some All Progressives Congress, APC, governors.
The journalist argued that President Bola Tinubu would be cautious about allowing the dispute to spiral because of the political calculations surrounding the next election.
He suggested that Tinubu could seek a compromise that keeps Wike within his political camp while addressing some of the concerns raised by the FCT minister.
“You see, I know this country too well. President Tinubu will never rock the boat. He will just try to give a gloomier response to settle the matter between Wike and the governors because he wants to win an election,” Oseni said.
Beyond the immediate dispute, Oseni said the more significant political confrontation involving Wike could come after the elections.
He pointed specifically to the future of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and questioned whether Wike could play a role in rebuilding the party after his involvement in its internal divisions.
“But you see, where the real tussle will be is after elections have been won or lost,” he said.
Oseni then claimed that Wike’s current political activities should be viewed as part of a longer-term strategy.
“All of this Wike is playing, forget it, he has presidential ambitions. Anyway, he ran in the last election cycle, so all of this is strategically positioning himself for the next eight years when power will come back to the South,” he said.
The journalist also argued that Wike’s age gives him sufficient time to pursue his alleged presidential calculations.
“And you see, the good thing about the game which he is playing is that age is on his side,” Oseni added.
The comments come as Wike continues to maintain a prominent position in Nigeria’s political landscape despite his membership of the PDP and his service as a minister in the Tinubu administration.
Oseni’s remarks are his own political analysis and allegation about Wike’s intentions; Wike has not, in the material provided, publicly confirmed a 2031 presidential ambition.
SHARE.
