We will place Wike where he belongs, PDP National Chairman vows
By Emma Ogbuehi
In its major pronouncement on conduct of its members since the last general election, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday, vowed to take disciplinary measures against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and other chieftains of the PDP who worked against the party at the appropriate time.
PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum, who made the disclosure at a news conference in Abuja, stressed that it was not only Wike that worked against the party, adding that the party would take relevant decisions on the matter. Following the emergence of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the PDP, last year, Wike and other governors on the platform of the party – Seyi Makinde of Oyo, former governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), constituted themselves into the so-called Group of Five (G5) Governors who worked at cross purposes with the party.
Makinde eventually won a re-election, while Ortom, Ugwuanyi and Ikpeazu lost their senatorial elections. Wike did not compete for any office but was appointed minister by President Bola Tinubu.
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The PDP NWC equally disagreed with Tinubu’s position on the ongoing political face-off in Rivers State between Wike and the governor, Similayi Fubara, which saw 27 members of the House of Assembly loyal to Wike, crossing over to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Tinubu, on Monday, reportedly mediated in the crisis.
PDP however insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must conduct elections to fill the seats of 27 lawmakers who defected from its fold to the APC
The national chairman, Damagum, said; “PDP demands that in line with Section 109, and Section 84 (15) of the Electoral Act 2022 fix a date for the conduct of election in the 27 constituencies in Rivers State where vacancies have occurred by the reason of the defection of the now former members pending the determination of any suit in court.”
“We are not unmindful of the fact that it’s not only Wike; there are other people that have also worked against his party. When we get to that level, we will sanction everybody. If Wike believes he is above this party, we will show him he is not above this party.”