AfriPulse
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Wednesday as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the faction backed by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, traded words over control of the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Naija News reports that Wike challenged the Kabiru Turaki-led camp to prove its claim to the party’s leadership by opening a PDP secretariat and bank account in Abuja.
He also vowed to shut down any such office if opened in the FCT.
Speaking during a media chat, the former Rivers State governor accused the rival bloc of fraud, defiance of court rulings and deliberate deception.
He said, “When will people stop being fraudulent? You cannot disobey court judgments and then turn around to deceive Nigerians that you have a legitimate structure. That is not how democracy works.”
Wike insisted that the group lacked legal standing to run the affairs of the PDP.
He added, “If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them open an official PDP account and tell party members to pay nomination fees into it.”
Directing his challenge at Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Wike said, “Let Turaki… open an account for the PDP. Let them announce it publicly… That day, you will see what will happen. He will lose his silk.”
According to him, no bank would honour such a request without the authentic documents of the party and recognised leadership.
“That bank will be in trouble because to open such an account, you must provide the party’s authentic documents… Who has those documents?” he asked.
On the possibility of a parallel secretariat, Wike said he would not allow any illegal office to operate in Abuja.
He said, “You don’t form a leadership in your bedroom and call it a national structure. Let them open an office anywhere and call it the PDP secretariat, I dare them.
“If anybody goes ahead to open an illegal office… I will seal it. I will not allow any breach of peace because my duty is to maintain law and order in the Federal Capital Territory.”
Wike described moves by the faction to set up a caretaker structure as illegal.
He said, “The court has made it clear who should run the affairs of the party… You cannot ignore that and start setting up another structure.”
He also dismissed the arrangement as “fraud, 419.”
Wike Faults Wabara, Fubara
The minister rejected interpretations of a Supreme Court ruling cited by the rival faction, accusing them of twisting judicial pronouncements to mislead party members.
On the Board of Trustees controversy, Wike faulted moves by the Adolphus Wabara-led BoT to name an interim committee, describing it as part of “the same illegality.”
He also criticised Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, accusing him of reneging on agreements reached at a peace meeting brokered by President Bola Tinubu.
“Nobody can stop you from running for an election. It’s your choice but you have just exposed yourself,” he said.
Wike also defended his crackdown on undeveloped land around Jabi Lake, saying the action was in line with the Abuja master plan.
He said, “For 15 years, nothing happened. We cannot continue like that. If you are not ready to develop, we will take back the land.
“You must sign to develop within a given period. If you fail, the land returns to government.”
Makinde-Backed Faction Replies
But the PDP interim leadership aligned with Makinde dismissed Wike’s threats, insisting that its primaries and national convention would proceed as planned.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the group described Wike’s comments as an embarrassment.
Ememobong said, “Nigerians today witnessed what can only be described as an unsolicited display of political rascality, moral emptiness, crass opportunism, and post-defeat trauma.
“The Minister cast aside restraint and maligned several distinguished Nigerians with what can best be described as ‘sound and fury, signifying nothing’.”
The faction said it was addressing Nigerians not to engage Wike, but to apologise for what it described as his past elevation.
“This statement is… not a reply to his tirade… but an apology to Nigerians for having… enabled a public figure whose conduct… has become a national embarrassment,” Ememobong said.
The faction urged those allegedly defamed by Wike to seek legal redress, insisting that no individual was above the law.
It also dismissed suggestions that Wike could take control of the PDP.
“He will neither become, nor can he become, the National Leader of the party, an office that does not exist in our constitution,” the statement said.
On the ongoing process, the group said the sale of nomination forms had begun and would not be stopped.
“The process is underway and will not be derailed,” Ememobong said.
He also rejected Wike’s claim that banks would be pressured against dealing with the faction.
“The party continues to operate its accounts,” he added.
On the legal dispute, the group said it was awaiting Certified True Copies of court judgments and challenged Wike to clarify his claims.
“Nigerians can be assured that no amount of threats will suppress the truth. While falsehood may travel faster, it does not diminish the force… of the truth,” he said.
Source: Naijanews.com | Read the Full Story…
