Wike fights back, compounds PDP woes

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has regrouped with his allies to fight back in the skirmishes rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The former Rivers State Governor organized his coalition to counter the PDP NWC and NEC meetings held in Abuja last week, convening a meeting of a faction of the party on Monday.

Participants at the factional meeting include former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State; former Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda, among others.

Governor Seyi Makinde was absent; including others prominent PDP leaders like Dan Orbi, Bode George, etc, who were on the side of Wike during the pre-2023 election protests.

At the factional meeting, Wike read a communiqué to convey the decision of the meeting to reaffirm Sam Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary, citing the judgment of the Supreme Court and the PDP constitution.

According to Wike, “We, therefore, unequivocally reaffirm Sen. Sam Anyanwu as the duly elected and substantive National Secretary of our great party.”

The mainstream PDP had at the NEC meeting received petition from the South east against Anyanwu, demanding his replacement by the national leadership. The petition was written on the advice of the INEC on the way to ease Anyanwu out of office.  PDP had sent a delegation to the INEC headquarters on the embattled national secretary, and was guided, accordingly, before the meeting monitored by the INEC.

Wike, at the seemingly counter-meeting in Abuja, declared: “The party is on an inevitable path to self-annihilation if urgent steps are not taken to stop the selfish and divisive actions of a few individuals.

“To finally arrest the inexorable drift towards extinction in the party, the PDP must, without further delay, respect the judgment of the Supreme Court.

“We, therefore, unequivocally reaffirm Sen. Sam Anyanwu as the duly elected and substantive National Secretary of our great party.

“In line with the provisions of our party constitution, only the National Secretary, Anyanwu, can issue notices of meeting of the National Convention (NEC), National Caucus and the NWC.

“To this end, all notices not issued by him and actions founded on them, including correspondences to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), are null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”

Wike reiterated his stand on the zoning of the 2027 PDP presidential ticket to the South.

According to him, “This is in the spirit of fairness, inclusion, and respect for federal character, especially after eight years of former President Muhammadu Buhari from the North.”