Wike to defectors: We’ve taken back PDP

•Knocks Obi, likens him to fleeing govs

•No ambition is greater than PDP — Party Chair

•Come back home, Sule Lamido begs defectors

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA  — THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Nyesom Wike yesterday, declared that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has been taken back by loyal members, blasting defectors and asserting control of the party.

He also took a swipe at opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said this at the PDP’s 10th Elective National Convention in Abuja, while rival camps stayed away.

The convention, which was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was cited by Wike as proof that the party had regained institutional footing after a prolonged dispute over its leadership.

His words: “Today (yesterday) marks the rebirth of our party in a new form. Today (yesterday) is the birth of a united party, ready to move forward. We have seen the convention monitored by the electoral umpire which also tells you the importance of this gathering.”

He said: “Leadership is not easy. It requires courage, firmness and commitment. What we have seen, some governors leaving, only shows a lack of leadership. When crises arise, true leaders stand and resolve them; they do not run away.

“More importantly, we have reclaimed and returned the party to its rightful owners, the people.”

While he urged aggrieved members who the PDP to return to the fold, he appealed that they return, but on the basis of unity and discipline.

He said: “Our brothers and sisters who may have left should return and join us in rebuilding this party for the collective good. No one will be excluded; everyone will have an opportunity to serve in unity and in law. 

Knocks Obi, likens him to fleeing govs

“What you have seen happening, the actions of a faction of some governors who have walked away, only shows that they lack a sense of leadership.  

“I liken them to the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party. That candidate was given a platform by the Labour Party to pursue the presidency, yet when a crisis arose within the party, it was precisely the moment leadership was required. Instead of stepping forward to resolve the problems, he could not, and failed to provide that leadership.

“In the same way, when our governors were seeking a platform to become governors, they found one and achieved their ambition. But when crises emerged, and it was time to demonstrate leadership, vision, and courage, they ran away. That tells you who can truly stand firm in difficult times.

“It is like a family: when you have a wife, or wives, and there are problems in your household, you do not abandon your family. You remain there and work to resolve the issues. That is why I thank all of you for your commitment. You have shown leadership, real leadership.

*No ambition is greater than PDP — Party Chair

Earlier in is speech, the party’s Acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, urged members to put aside personal interests and focus on rebuilding the party.

Speaking at the party’s national convention in Abuja, Mohammed presented the gathering as a defining moment for the party’s future.

He said: “No ambition is greater than this party. No office is worth the weakening of this platform.

“The recent judicial developments must not be seen as victory for some and defeat for others. Rather, they must remind us that institutions must be guided by law and that no party can endure outside constitutional order.

“We choose inclusiveness over exclusion. We choose unity over division. We choose renewal over decline,” the PDP chairman said.

Reconcile or risk collapse, Ikpeazu tells PDP

Meanwhile, former Abia State Governor, Mr Okezie Ikpeazu, yesterday, warned that the party must urgently reconcile its internal divisions or risk collapse, as it moves to elect a new leadership at a crucial national convention.

Ikpeazu, who spoke at the party’s 10th Elective National Convention in Abuja, said: “The duty of genuine reconciliation within our party is not optional; it is fundamental. Your work begins immediately.

Come back home, Sule Lamido begs defectors

Similarly, former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, yesterday, urged aggrieved PDP members to return, calling for unity and a renewed commitment to the national interest.

Speaking at the PDP’s 10th Elective National Convention in Abuja, Lamido said “I want to speak to you from the standpoint of the history of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Nigeria. I have listened to all the speakers, and I heard the chairman say we should reflect. Indeed, we should reflect.

“Where was the PDP in 1998? What lay before the PDP in 1998? What were the vision, the dream, and the wisdom of the founders of the PDP, our fathers?” he asked.

Lamido recalled that the party was formed at a critical period following the crisis triggered by the annulment of the June 12 1993 presidential election, which heightened divisions across the country.

“In 1998, the main challenge before the PDP was national unity, especially in the aftermath of the events of June 12. In their wisdom, the leaders came together,” he said. Lamido, who urged defectors to return, described the PDP as a political home with deep roots across the country.

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