My friendship with Wike doesn’t mean I work for Tinubu – Saraki

A former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has said his friendship with the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, should not be interpreted as support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

The ex-Kwara State Governor said he operates openly and does not engage in “night dealings.”

Saraki made the comments on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he also outlined his position on the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the upcoming convention.

Dismissing claims that he works for President Tinubu, he said, “I’m not somebody that says things I’m not going to do… I don’t… I don’t do things at night, I’m not a night person. If I’m going to do something, I come, I stick my chest out. This is where I’m going,” he said.

Responding to a question on whether his friendship with Wike implied an endorsement of Tinubu, Saraki said, “You can’t extrapolate that. My friendship is based on what we are going to do about this party.

“I found his style, his views might be different, but that PDP must not die. PDP must be able to provide a platform for people to contest elections. That, I do not in any way doubt, is the sincerity where he stands, that’s where I stand.”

Despite being a key member of PDP, Wike has repeatedly expressed support for APC’s Tinubu’s second-term bid, a stance often criticised as disloyal by a faction of the opposition party.

In early March 2026, Wike, during a media parley in Abuja, declared his support for candidates who aligned with the president.

Governors of the party had earlier backed the Ibadan convention held on November 15, which produced Tanimu Turaki (SAN) and other members of the National Working Committee for a four-year tenure.

However, a faction loyal to Wike later formed a 13-member caretaker committee, naming Abdulrahman as acting national chairman and Anyanwu as acting national secretary, among others, with a 60-day mandate.

The Wike bloc confirmed after its NEC meeting on Monday that the party had regained stability as it prepares for the national convention.

On PDP, Saraki said he supports efforts to strengthen the party and ensure legitimacy in its processes, including the upcoming convention and primaries.

He also advocated reconciliation between factions to boost confidence among party members.

“If truly we don’t love PDP, we can go to another party to contest. Even in my state, people tell me they want to contest, I say, what are you doing there? You’re wasting your time…

“That is why some of us are excited that if we can push through with this reconciliation, get our convention done this weekend, Sunday, Monday, have it attended by INEC, have the legitimacy of that convention, by which people are now confident,” he said.