Nyesom Wike, has described members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as dishonest, accusing the opposition parties of misleading Nigerians with claims of political reform and democratic renewal.
Speaking during his monthly media briefing in Abuja on Monday, Wike criticised the opposition parties over what he called internal contradictions and a lack of credibility in the conduct of their recent primaries.
The former Rivers State governor argued that parties portraying themselves as alternatives to the ruling party had failed to demonstrate transparency within their own ranks.
According to him, the ADC and NDC, despite presenting themselves as agents of change, have been plagued by internal disputes and controversies similar to those they often accuse established parties of fostering.
Wike noted that recent disagreements arising from opposition party primaries exposed weaknesses in their internal democratic processes. He maintained that the parties had failed to live up to the standards they publicly advocate.
Referring to protests that trailed the NDC and ADC primaries, the minister said the developments had exposed what he described as the hypocrisy of parties claiming to offer a fresh political direction for the country.
He particularly cited objections raised by some presidential aspirants during the ADC primary, arguing that their complaints reflected the same shortcomings opposition figures frequently attribute to the ruling party.
According to Wike, the controversies surrounding the primaries have shown that opposition parties are no different from the political establishments they criticise. He added that Nigerians can now see through what he described as false claims of moral superiority and democratic purity.
The FCT minister insisted that the opposition parties have yet to prove they are better alternatives to the country’s older political parties.