Update: Wike bursts PDP ambush, tightens up on Anyanwu

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, may be deploying the federal might at his behest to consolidate his fight in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and seemingly bursts PDP ambush laid for him a fortnight ago by the party leadership.

The FCT minister has successfully tightened up on the embattled PDP National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, who the PDP leadership had at the NWC and NEC meetings in Abuja, a fortnight ago, sought regulatory and procedural advice from the INEC on the process to be eased out.

Nyesom Wike convening a meeting of “Concerned PDP” members to counter the resolutions of the party at the NEC meeting in Abuja.

The PDP consultation with the INEC on the controversies over Anyanwu and his removal process culminated into the adjournment of the party’s NEC meeting to June 30.

The consultation provided the PDP a clue that the party would need members from the south east to petition and demand for the removal of Anyanwu as PDP national secretary, representing the zone; and be replaced with another representative from the zone. Secondly, the rejection of Anyanwu and request for replacement would require 16 days to be valid.

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The PDP, accordingly, received the petition of southeast members rejecting Anyanwu as their representative in the PDP NWC, and requesting a replacement.

The party also appointed two committees which include planning committee for national convention where new NWC members are expected to be elected.

Wike, after the NEC meeting convened a meeting of “Concerned PDP” members, where he countered all the resolutions of the PDP NEC meeting, and insisted that Anyanwu remains the national secretary of the party.

Wike had maintained that all correspondence of the PDP must be signed by the national chairman and national secretary before they are valid or accepted by the receiving institution. He cited the Anambra State governorship saga where the INEC rejected the nomination letter signed by an acting national secretary, only to accept the one signed by Anyanwu, the national chairman.

Meanwhile, INEC which sent representatives to monitor the PDP NEC meeting has turned to reject the notification letter on the planned NEC meeting rescheduled for June 30. The status quo ante has been restored. The commission insisted that Anyawnu, who was perhaps, not party to the resolution for the June 30 rescheduled meeting, is the acceptable party official to sign the notification letter with the national chairman.

Anyanwu had earlier cancelled the PDP NEC meeting which held a fortnight ago, after the NWC meeting, but the party leadership, after consultations, proceeded with the meeting, ignoring Anyanwu’s cancellation announcement.

Presently, all the party stakeholders seemed to have returned to the nucleus of the crisis in the PDP, with relevance being reversed to the controversial national secretary, who many believe is the instrument Wike deploys to rattle the PDP.