Wike rejects PDP’s Ibadan convention plan

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said he is not aware of any proposed elective convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), vowing to challenge the plan alongside his group. Wike said he and his allies in the party would be meeting today (Wednesday) to review the decision, stressing that […]

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said he is not aware of any proposed elective convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), vowing to challenge the plan alongside his group.

Wike said he and his allies in the party would be meeting today (Wednesday) to review the decision, stressing that they would not allow any “injustice” to stand.

The former Rivers State governor, a central figure in the crisis that has rocked the opposition party since its 2022 presidential primary, which he lost to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had earlier declared that the PDP crisis was “over” following Atiku’s exit. But he warned that the convention could not proceed unless the South-South zonal congress held in Calabar, where his loyalists emerged as leaders, was recognised.

Speaking on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television, Wike insisted he had no knowledge of any elective convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State.

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“Have they given a date for Ibadan? I don’t know. When has the party’s NEC sat? When did they agree on that? The one they said is NEC is not NEC; NEC has not met. In fact, we are meeting tomorrow. NEC has not met,” he said.

Asked if he was planning a parallel convention, Wike replied, “I am not aware that they are going for a convention in Ibadan. As a NEC member, I have not been told, and nobody has invited me for a NEC meeting. If those people who are working as a team say they are holding NEC, so be it. If no notice of meeting has been served on me as a member of NEC, I have every right to challenge that, and no one can deny me my rights.”

On whether he would head to court, Wike said, “Our group is meeting tomorrow (Wednesday). Obviously, we will not allow that injustice to prevail. We will not allow that impunity. We will not allow that.”

When asked if he would back the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2027 despite currently serving in President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) government, the FCT Minister said, “I will support somebody who I know will make Nigeria grow, somebody who has the interest of Nigeria. I don’t believe in sentiments; I don’t believe in emotion.”

Pressed further on whether this might amount to anti-party activity, as with the G-5 governors in 2023, he insisted, “Being a party man does not mean I will not support someone that has helped this country. Because I am a party man, you just want the country to start going backwards?”

 

Nothing like parallel convention, Ibadan date stands – Party

The PDP, however, dismissed speculation that some members were plotting a parallel national convention in Abuja.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, yesterday insisted the Ibadan convention fixed for November 15 and 16 remained sacrosanct. He said the planning committee had been inaugurated and work had commenced.

The 110-member committee is chaired by Adamawa State governor Ahmadu Fintiri, with Osun State governor Ademola Adeleke as deputy chairman, former minister Kabir Turaki (SAN) as deputy chairman 2, and Enugu State governor Peter Mbah as secretary. Senator Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, will serve as the BOT representative.

Dismissing reports of a split convention, Ologunagba said, “We cannot be aware of a non-existing thing. These are speculations, and that is indeed speculation. How do you have a national convention? There is a process, and we are a party of process. What we do is follow the constitution of our party.

“Interestingly, the process has started, and we have been in sync with our regulator, INEC. The Independent National Electoral Commission has been attending all the meetings. They have witnessed everything we are doing.”

On the purported parallel convention, Ologunagba said it “might be a media hype, people testing the waters. In fact, it does not exist. The local organising committee is working hard. The venue committee is working already ahead of time. Even before the inauguration of those subcommittees, they were already working.

“We are methodical in what we do. So it is in the realm of conjecture, probably hallucination. This train has moved on. We are even on our way to Ibadan, as I speak.”

Speculation has been rife that Wike and his allies were pushing for a parallel convention in Abuja, pressuring Acting National Chairman Umar Damagun and the National Working Committee (NWC) to shift the event from Ibadan.

 

Wike, South-South congress and lingering dispute

Earlier this month, during his monthly media chat in Abuja, Wike declared that the PDP’s internal wrangling was “over for now” but insisted the legitimacy of the Calabar congress, which re-elected Chief Dan Orbih as National Vice Chairman (South-South), must be upheld.

“Our South-South zonal congress that was held must be upheld. There’s no two ways about it,” he warned, saying that failure to recognise the outcome could trigger “another round of crisis.”

He condemned attempts to invalidate the congress results after a letter was reportedly sent to INEC suggesting the event had been postponed. He stressed that it was pointless to retroactively nullify a congress already authorised by a court.

“The crisis is over for now because there are still some things remaining which I’ve told them they must do. One is our South-South zonal congress, which must be upheld,” he said.

Despite serving in Tinubu’s cabinet, Wike also dismissed speculation that he was planning to defect to the APC. “I will not leave this party, the PDP, which I have done everything for, for the buccaneers and vampires,” he declared.

But reacting, a member of the party’s NEC, Timothy Osadolor, said the South-South caretaker committee remained valid and constitutional, stressing that Wike could not dictate terms to the party.

“The constitution is clear on how zonal congresses are conducted. If any member wants to contest, they must subject themselves to due process. As a stakeholder, the key word is lobby, not setting conditions for the party,” he said.

He maintained that Acting National Chairman Umar Damagun was fully aware of his responsibilities. “The caretaker committee is still valid. It was just extended for another three months and has not been vacated. The minister has the right to speak, but he does not have the right to dictate to the party.”

Similarly, Emmanuel Ogidi, chairman of the South-South caretaker committee, described Wike as “just bluffing”.

“The NWC was the one that approved and inaugurated our committee because the right thing was not done in the South-South zone. Our three-month mandate has not elapsed. We are working on putting together a constitutionally approved zonal executive.

“The minister’s conditions cannot affect our process. The NWC is empowered by law to conduct elections, and the courts have said it is an internal matter of the party. If they want to go to court, they are wasting their time,” he said.

Daily Trust reports that tension has been rising in the PDP over the planned elective convention.

With the tenure of the current NWC set to expire in December, the party hierarchy has already sanctioned the timetable for the convention. But fears persist that the fragile peace achieved after the acceptance of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, an ally of Wike, as National Secretary may be under renewed threat.

Party leaders have vowed not to allow Wike to dictate the leadership of the party in the South-South, setting the stage for another showdown ahead of November’s convention in Ibadan.