ABUJA — Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, on Monday took a swipe at opposition parties, particularly the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, over controversies surrounding their congresses and primary elections.
Wike said the disputes that trailed the parties’ internal processes had exposed what he described as the hypocrisy of politicians who claimed to offer Nigerians a better alternative to the existing political parties.
Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja, the former Rivers State governor noted that the opposition had consistently accused major parties such as the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of imposing candidates, only to become entangled in similar controversies.
“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 FCT minister said the controversies that erupted during the congresses and primaries of the ADC and NDC had undermined their claims of promoting transparency and internal democracy.
According to him, the parties, which presented themselves as cleaner alternatives to the established political platforms, had failed to live up to their promises.
“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 referenced complaints by aspirants who participated in the congresses, saying their allegations raised serious concerns about the credibility of the processes.
The ADC presidential primary was recently thrown into controversy after presidential aspirants, including Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, rejected the outcome, alleging 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,” Wike said.
The minister argued that the developments had given Nigerians a clearer picture of the realities within the opposition parties.
“Nigerians now know that you are all liars,” he added.
Wike, however, expressed a preference for the older political parties, saying they had acquired experience in managing Nigeria’s complex 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.
