PDP: Makinde bloc defies Wike, insists primaries, convention will go ahead

By Luminous Jannamike

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) interim leadership aligned with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Wednesday said its primaries and national convention would proceed as scheduled, brushing aside moves by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to disrupt the process.

The dispute centres on control of the party ahead of the 2027 elections, with the interim leadership, chaired by Kabiru Turaki, SAN, asserting its authority, confirming that the sale of nomination forms is underway, and insisting that nothing, including pressure from Wike, will halt the primaries or the convention that will produce its presidential candidate.

In a statement by Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the Interim National Working Committee, the party said Wike’s media outing hours earlier did not warrant a response but instead called for an apology to Nigerians over his conduct.

Ememobong said, “Nigerians today witnessed what can only be described as an unsolicited display of political rascality, moral emptiness, crass opportunism, and post-defeat trauma by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

“The Minister cast aside restraint and maligned several distinguished Nigerians with what can best be described as ‘sound and fury, signifying nothing.’”

The party said it would ordinarily have ignored the remarks, but chose to address Nigerians directly, framing its intervention as an apology for previously elevating Wike to public office.

“This statement is therefore not a reply to his tirade, which we consider his political swan song and the last kicks of a dying horse, but an apology to Nigerians for having, at any point, enabled a public figure whose conduct, utterances and reasoning have become a national embarrassment with international consequences.

“We urge those defamed in his remarks to seek legal redress. No individual is, or should be, above the law,” the statement added.

The party also dismissed suggestions that Wike could assume an overarching role, insisting no such position exists within its structure.

“As the legitimate leadership of our party, we also express sympathy for the Minister over the apparent realisation that he will neither become, nor can he become, the National Leader of the party, an office that does not exist in our constitution.

“We note his frustration over the commencement of the sale of nomination forms and the progression towards party primaries and a national convention, through which a credible Nigerian will emerge as presidential candidate.

“The process is underway and will not be derailed. His claim that he will frustrate any bank that provides services to the party is unfounded, as the party continues to operate its accounts,” Ememobong said.

On legal issues raised by the Minister, the PDP said it was awaiting certified true copies of the relevant court decisions and challenged him to clarify his claims.

“While awaiting the release of the Certified True Copies of the dismissed cross-appeals, we would be glad to have the Minister tell the world what the reliefs in the cross-appeals filed by his friends were, and what the judgment of the court was.

“Nigerians can be assured that no amount of threats will suppress the truth. While falsehood may travel faster, it does not diminish the force or eventual triumph of the truth,” Ememobong said.

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