Wike Vows to Resist PDP Expulsion, Flays Governors Bala Mohammed, Makinde
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has strongly rejected any attempt to expel him from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), vowing to resist what he terms an effort by recent members to “kill the party.”
Speaking at a meeting with the Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Council (NEC) members of the PDP faction loyal to him (led by Acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed), Wike was reacting to an expulsion notice reportedly issued by a rival faction aligned with Governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.
Wike, who asserts he has been a member of the PDP since its inception and has contributed meaningfully to its growth, questioned the legitimacy of those seeking to remove him.
“How can those who met me in my house now drag me out? I will never allow it,” the former Rivers State governor declared.
He took a swipe at Governor Bala Mohammed, asking which party the Bauchi Governor ran under when he was a senator. Wike accused the rival faction of attempting to pursue those who have made sacrifices for the party from its foundation, asserting that if previous leaders “have allowed them before, we will not allow them.”
The Minister urged his faction’s stakeholders to remain firm, stating that those who did not mean well for the party were on their way out. The meeting saw the attendance of key Wike allies, including former Abia Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and BoT Chairman Senator Mao Ohuabunwa.
The PDP has been engulfed in a debilitating leadership crisis since its loss in the 2023 presidential election, which has led to significant defections, including the governors of Delta, Akwa Ibom, and Bayelsa to the ruling APC, and the resignation of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke from the party.
The BoT Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, acknowledged the turmoil, charging members to rise above sentiments and act with unity. He disclosed that the BoT is currently making progress in constituting caretaker committees to lay the groundwork for congresses in states where they have been halted.
The internal fight escalated last Friday when the rival faction, led by Kabiru Turaki, filed a suit asking Justice Joyce Abdulmalik to recuse herself from a suit filed by Wike’s faction, citing “reasonable apprehension” that they would not receive a fair and impartial hearing.
