Akpabio PDP Still Exists Remark sparks outrage after Senate President questions PDP relevance and praises Nyesom Wike at Abuja project event
The President of the Nigerian Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, sparked widespread political reactions after declaring that he was surprised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) still existed, during remarks made at a public infrastructure commissioning in the Gaduwa District of the Federal Capital Territory.
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The comments were delivered at a road project inauguration event attended by political leaders, government officials, and supporters, where Akpabio also used the platform to commend the performance of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Akpabio’s remarks, delivered in a politically charged tone, quickly became the centre of attention after he questioned the relevance of Nigeria’s main opposition party.
“I didn’t know there was still PDP,” Akpabio said, a statement that drew visible reactions from sections of the audience and has since circulated widely across political circles.
He further escalated his comments by suggesting that the party had lost political relevance and should be allowed to fade away rather than remain a subject of national political debate.
“Wike stop confusing us, if a party has died allow it to die,” he added, in reference to the FCT Minister, who has remained a controversial but influential figure in Nigeria’s shifting political landscape.
The Remark has since generated significant backlash and discussion, particularly among opposition figures and political commentators who view the comments as an unnecessary escalation of partisan rhetoric at a formal government event.
Akpabio went further to reinforce his position, stating that he would not engage in discussions relating to the PDP’s internal structure or political direction.
“So members of the working committee, I won’t discuss anything on the working committee of the PDP like I said anything that has died has died,” he said.
During the same speech, the Senate President praised Nyesom Wike, describing him as a “performing minister” whose leadership of the Federal Capital Territory has delivered visible infrastructure improvements.
He argued that developments in Abuja under Wike had surpassed expectations and compared current progress with previous administrations, suggesting that recent projects had transformed the capital’s outlook.
“In the meantime my dear brother, the Minister of the FCT, the performing minister of the FCT, who made his predecessors to look like they came to drink tea in Abuja… people are baffled, you and the president are performing miracles here,” Akpabio stated.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a long-standing political heavyweight, has continued to attract attention for his role within the current federal administration, despite his past affiliation with the PDP.
Political observers say Akpabio’s remarks highlight the increasingly fluid and personalised nature of Nigeria’s political alignments, where cross-party relationships and individual performance narratives often overshadow traditional party boundaries.
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Analysts also note that such statements from senior political figures can deepen existing tensions between Nigeria’s major political parties, particularly as the country’s political environment continues to evolve ahead of future electoral cycles.
