Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has issued a firm rebuttal to allegations made by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, that he promised President Bola Tinubu he would "hold down" the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to ease the path for Tinubu's re-election in 2027.
A Blatant Lie, Says Wike
Speaking at an end-of-year media briefing on Monday, December 29, 2025, Wike described Makinde's claim as "a blatant lie" and politically motivated. He expressed surprise at the governor's statement, noting the unusual familiarity. "Seyi Makinde has never called me Wike. That is the first time I have heard him calling me Wike. It's unfortunate," Wike stated.
The minister challenged the premise of the allegation, questioning the context of such a promise. "First of all, you ask yourself, what was that meeting? What was the purpose of that meeting? That would have led me to say, Mr President, I will hold PDP down for you. There was no such meeting," he declared.
Setting the Record Straight on Presidential Visit
Wike provided his account of the interaction in question. He clarified that he, alongside Governors Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, met with President Tinubu after the 2023 elections. The Chief of Staff to the President was also present.
"I was the one who said, look, Chief of Staff, come and sit down so we can remind the president of what we have discussed," Wike recounted. "There was nothing like a meeting; we booked to go and see Mr President. So, it is completely out of place for anybody to say that in that meeting I told Mr President that I would hold PDP down for him."
He attributed Makinde's remarks to frustration and a lack of political discipline, stating the allegation was "very, totally unfair." Wike drew a distinction between business and politics, remarking, "Politics is not like being a contractor with Shell. Politics has different rules."
Warnings on Political Loyalty and State Resources
In related engagements, the FCT minister has been vocal about the realities of political alignment. During visits to Emohua and Isiokpo Local Government Areas in Rivers State on Tuesday, Wike cautioned that simply joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) or declaring support for President Tinubu does not guarantee political success.
He emphasized that political relevance must be earned through consistent action and honoring agreements. "If you know you can't abide by any agreement, don't go into it... Anything I will not do, I will say I will not do it," he advised, in comments widely seen as directed at Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who recently defected to the APC.
Furthermore, Wike warned about political opportunism targeting state finances. He referenced Governor Fubara's recent disclosure of N600 billion in the state's coffers, made during a Christmas event in Rivers State last Saturday.
"If you have experience in Nigerian politics, Nigerian politicians like Rivers money. I can tell you that," Wike said. "If you want to make money in Rivers today, I don't know how you made the mistake of announcing that there is N600 billion. By announcing that, it had made some politicians in other states... They will now tell somebody here and say, 'this Wike, enough is enough; Wike's time has finished,' and they will collect."
He concluded that the disclosure had opened the floodgates for external political interests to exploit the state's resources under the guise of supporting the new administration.
