Oyinlola Rejects Wike’s Leadership in PDP, Says FCT Minister Is Not His Boss

Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has declared that although he remains a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he does not recognise the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as his political leader.

The retired military officer made the declaration on Wednesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he was asked about Wike’s position within the opposition party.

Responding to whether he considered the FCT minister his leader in the PDP, Oyinlola said, “No, not my leader. You don’t say that kind of thing.”

He reinforced his position, stating, “Yes, I am a member of the PDP, but he’s not my leader.”

The former governor also made remarks suggesting that Wike was considerably younger and could be regarded as his political subordinate, recalling that he was already serving as military governor of Lagos State between 1993 and 1996.

When asked whether Wike could be described as his boy, Oyinlola replied, “He qualifies to be. When I was governor in Lagos, where was he? In school.”

Wike, a member of the PDP, was appointed FCT minister by President Bola Tinubu, who belongs to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The minister later formed the Rainbow coalition, a political movement supporting Tinubu’s anticipated re-election campaign in 2027.

His involvement in the coalition has generated controversy within the PDP, with some party members accusing him of working against the opposition’s interests by aligning with the president.

Meanwhile, Oyinlola has attributed the prolonged leadership crisis within the PDP to internal opposition against efforts to unite and reposition the party.

He particularly acknowledged former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s involvement in attempts to rebuild the party’s organisational structure but alleged that some members were frustrating the initiative.

“He’s been trying to ensure that the party is re-engineered. But those who don’t want it are working against it within the party. That’s the much I can say,” he stated.

Despite the challenges confronting the party, Oyinlola insisted that the PDP remained politically relevant and had the capacity to overcome its current difficulties.

“The PDP is not dead. The bone will rise again,” he declared.

He argued that the party’s nationwide presence, including its structures across all 774 local government areas, provided a foundation for its recovery if members could resolve their internal disagreements.

“If we get our acts together, it’s a thing we can achieve, but the forces making sure we don’t get there are there. They are not sleeping,” Oyinlola said.

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