A former National Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jacob Mark, has stated that Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has no reason to be concerned about the influence of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, should he choose to return to the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Mark dismissed widespread speculation that Wike holds sway over the PDP despite serving in an All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal cabinet.

Asked whether Wike is involved in efforts to bring Obi back into the PDP and whether he would back Obi’s possible candidacy, Mark categorically rejected suggestions that Wike controls the party.

“Wike is not a member of the PDP,” he said. “In the last one year or more, he has not attended any PDP meeting.”

Mark criticized the narrative that Wike dominates the PDP, calling it a product of shallow political analysis.

“When I hear people claim Wike is in charge of the PDP, I get genuinely worried. It seems we’ve become too lazy in terms of proper investigation,” he said. “I’m currently in Kaduna for our state caucus meeting as we prepare for a federal constituency bye-election. The entire PDP structure is here—nobody is talking about or aware of Wike’s activities in Abuja.”

According to him, the party is functioning independently of any central interference and is focused on its own internal processes, without influence from Abuja-based figures.

Mark also questioned Wike’s relevance in northern Nigeria, especially in states like Kaduna.

“In Kaduna State, Wike has no influence—if anything, it’s zero,” he said. “So when people say he’s running the PDP, I don’t understand what they mean. Is it because he has friends in the National Working Committee? Or is it because certain individuals have sold their conscience and are doing his bidding in Abuja?”

He accused some party figures of exaggerating Wike’s relevance and influence, warning that even Wike himself might not fully grasp the limitations of his current role.

“With due respect to him, Wike does not control the PDP,” Mark said. “Thanks to the efforts of the party’s founding members in the last two months, the PDP is undergoing a process of regrouping and repositioning. We are working to become the kind of robust opposition party Nigerians are yearning for.”

Mark also welcomed the exit of some former PDP members, suggesting that their departure has created room for new leadership and growth within the party.

“Honestly, I’m happy some people have left. Their presence was more of a hindrance than a help,” he noted. “In any organization, once someone steps aside, others can rise. That’s progress. Some individuals have been blocking growth simply because they refuse to retire. That’s why retirement exists in the civil service—to give way to new energy.”

He added that PDP needs a fresh generation of leaders rather than “a recycling of those who ought to be elders but still insist on playing on the field.”

While acknowledging Wike’s work ethic, Mark reiterated that his connection to the PDP is tenuous at best.

“If Wike claims to still be a PDP member, that’s his business. But the truth is, we don’t see him. He hasn’t attended NEC meetings in over a year. He hasn’t participated in anything PDP has done lately.”

According to Mark, Wike has even admitted to supporting PDP’s opponents in various states to undermine the party’s chances at the polls.

“So what kind of party member is that?” he asked. “Maybe in Abuja he still has ties or relationships, but in Kaduna, Plateau, Benue, and many other states, Wike is politically irrelevant. He’s simply unknown.