Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has said that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and others are pushing for a coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu for their selfish interests.

Mr Wike, in a media chat on Friday, also said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is not ready for the 2027 power tussle.

The former Rivers State governor said, “Those who are looking for a coalition are for selfish interests, the likes of Atiku and other people; which coalition, with whom?”

Mr Wike queried why Mr Abubakar is not leading talks to build the PDP but speaking coalition to wrest power from Mr Tinubu.

“Why not come in to repair your party? Everybody wants to become president of the country, nobody wants to say, look, let me build our party so that at the end of the day, our party will be in a formidable position as an opposition party to take over power,” Mr Wike said.

He added, “You made the mistake yesterday, you want to repeat the same mistake today, tomorrow you make the same mistake, and then you come out to say you were rigged out; who rigged you out? You’ve already rigged yourself by causing a crisis.”

The FCT minister dismissed PDP as not ready to challenge the Tinubu-led ruling All Progressives Congress in the forthcoming 2027 election.

“The PDP is not ready for the 2027 election. It is very obvious. For instance, I have an examination, and I am going to class to read. Indeed, am I reading? Am I studying? You don’t need to deceive anybody that you are reading. You are only trying to read so that people will see that you have carried your bag to class,” Mr Wike said.

“That is the situation of the PDP. So, they cannot say for sure that they are ready for 2027. Power struggle cannot help the party.”

Mr Wike’s statement comes amid a coalition rumour between opposition groups led by Mr Abubakar and Mr El-Rufai, who dumped the APC for the Social Democratic Party.