The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says the ruling party benefits whenever opposition parties are stuck in internal crises.
He made the remark on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at his monthly media parley in Abuja.
Wike said a divided opposition cannot mount a real challenge against those in power.
“The ruling party finds out that you have that kind of a purpose. What will be their prayer? Their prayer will be, may you not resolve the crisis,” he said.
The former Rivers State governor also used the parley to defend the construction of official residences for judges, reject allegations that he demanded money from Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, and criticise Cardinal John Onaiyekan over the cleric’s comments on President Bola Tinubu’s government.
His remarks touched on party structures, religious neutrality, and judicial welfare, three issues that have shaped Nigeria’s political conversation through 2025 and 2026.
A Divided Opposition Helps The Ruling Party, Says Wike
Wike pointed to the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) 2017 crisis to make his case.
He said the ruling party at the time tried to weaken the PDP by imposing a national chairman on the party.
“We saw that the ruling party at this time had wanted to destroy PDP by imposing a party chairman on us. We saw it clearly. People like us came out to say we will not accept it,” he said.
According to him, that resistance kept the PDP strong enough to contest the 2019 and 2023 general elections.
He argued that Nigeria’s political history shows why a formidable opposition matters, adding that a weak opposition makes it easier for an incumbent to dominate elections unchallenged.
“Everything appears to have fallen apart,” Wike said of the current state of opposition politics, referring to the divisions now facing parties outside government.
The PDP has struggled with internal splits in recent years, including the fallout in Rivers State that saw Governor Fubara suspended for six months in 2025 after a bitter feud with Wike over control of the state’s political structure.
Following presidential mediation, Fubara later defected from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in December 2025.
Wike Denies Demanding Money From Fubara, Warns On Political Advice
Wike also addressed his fallout with Fubara, describing claims that their disagreement was about money as a familiar political tactic.
“The moment you disagree on an issue, the only thing you can use to get the support of the people is that they are asking me for money,” he said, when asked whether he had personally requested funds from the governor.
He said his real concern was for Fubara to stabilise Rivers State and build on the foundation laid before he left office.
“We have laid the foundation; he should be able to continue from there; we will give you all the necessary support,” Wike said.
The minister said Fubara moved too quickly to set up a personal political structure rather than working through the network that helped him become governor.
“It did not take up to 100 days, and we saw it. We said something must be fundamentally wrong,” he said.
He warned political leaders to weigh advice from newer allies carefully, arguing that some people close to a new office holder pursue personal interests rather than the leader’s success.
“Nobody who didn’t want you to be in a position will want you to succeed,” he added.
Wike Faults Cardinal Onaiyekan Over Comments On Tinubu
Wike criticised the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, over his comments on the Tinubu administration.
Onaiyekan, a senior Catholic clergyman and elder statesman, had told another online news media, Arise Television, that President Tinubu pushed back on concerns the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) raised during a closed-door meeting at the State House on July 28.
Wike said he did not oppose criticism from religious leaders but argued that persistent criticism from a figure perceived to have taken a political side should be treated with caution.
“If you are a religious leader and it is perceived that you are taking a side, as is very clear in the case of Cardinal John Onaiyekan, it becomes difficult for people to regard those comments as constructive,” he said.
He added that Onaiyekan’s position on the Tinubu government was well known and not hidden.
“You cannot make only criticism of an administration the centerpiece of your contribution to governance,” Wike said.
The Presidency has separately accused Onaiyekan of acting as a proxy for opposition figures, a charge the cleric and his allies, including opposition politician Atiku Abubakar, have rejected.
Wike Defends Judges’ Housing, Rejects Bode George’s Claims
Wike also defended the Federal Capital Territory Administration’s construction of official residences for judges, insisting the buildings are public assets and not personal gifts.
He said President Tinubu ordered the intervention after receiving complaints about a shortage of accommodation for judicial officers.
“This accommodation is not personal. It is a public building,” Wike said.
The project is run by the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), the agency responsible for planning and building infrastructure across the FCT, including housing, roads and public facilities.
The scheme covers 40 residential units in Katampe District, split among judges of the FCT High Court, the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
Wike rejected a claim by PDP chieftain Bode George alleging that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court visited him to make personal requests.
“Bode George, who claims to be a founding father of the PDP, has not won a single seat for the party in Lagos since 1999,” Wike said, describing the allegation as unfair.
He maintained that all public buildings in the FCT are built by the FCDA as part of its statutory duties, and are not tied to personal favours for any judicial officer.
