Wike warns PDP: Resolve south-south crisis or forget national convention
Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory, has issued a strong warning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), insisting that the party must resolve the leadership dispute in the south-south before planning any national convention.
Speaking during his monthly media chat in Abuja on Monday, Wike said the party’s refusal to recognise Dan Orbih as the authentic national vice-chairman (south-south) could spark a fresh wave of internal crisis.
“The south-south zonal congress that was held in Calabar must be upheld. Dan Orbih remains the national vice-chairman for south-south. If they don’t agree, that’s an error on their part. If they want another round of crisis, so be it,” Wike said.
“They say they’re going to the convention. I’m sorry. Let the matter be resolved first.”
The former Rivers governor accused the PDP leadership of undermining internal democracy, adding that attempts to sideline Orbih amount to political manipulation.
He also took a swipe at the party’s acting national chairman for alleging that governors were not in support of the zonal congress.
“When we were doing our south-south congress, the acting national chairman claimed that PDP governors were not in support of the national congress. Where are the PDP governors now?” he asked.
Wike said the party must stop brushing key issues aside if it wants to avoid more divisions ahead of 2027.
‘I SUPPORT TINUBU BECAUSE HE PERFORMS’
Turning to national politics, Wike reiterated his admiration for President Bola Tinubu, saying competence, not political affiliation, will determine his support in future elections.
“At my level now, I cannot support someone I know is not competent; whether he’s my friend or not,” he said.
He praised Tinubu for removing fuel subsidies on his first day in office, calling it an example of bold leadership.
“That is bold leadership. Tell me one person who, on their first day in office, removed subsidy? That is bold,” he added.
On the ongoing political alignment in Rivers state, Wike defended the cooperation between PDP and All Progressives Congress (APC) members, saying peace must come before partisanship.
“If leaders from both parties sit down to say, ‘let’s not fight,’ what’s wrong with that? Shouldn’t we be happy that politicians are working together for peace?” he said.
He rejected accusations that he betrayed PDP during the 2023 elections, maintaining that his decisions were guided by fairness and justice.
“I take serious exception to people calling me double-faced. I made it clear I wouldn’t support Atiku,” he said. “I stood for equity, fairness, and justice.”
Wike also criticised Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president and PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate, for switching parties repeatedly.
“Someone who’s been seeking the presidency for years keeps moving from PDP to APC and back again. Then suddenly says he wants to ‘rescue Nigeria’. Rescue what? From what?” he asked.
He blamed many of PDP’s troubles on disregard for court rulings, citing the controversy over Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s candidacy in Imo state as an example.
