A coalition of youth organisations working for the development of democratic governance has expressed its support for the summoning of the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for allegedly threatening to destabilize peace in PDP ruling states.
The group specifically insisted that it is high time PDP sanctioned the former Rivers State governor for his open anti-party activities.
Reacting to Wike’s threat of causing political crises in states being ruled by PDP governors and calling for the party’s structure to be handed over to Governor Siminalayi Fubara, the group in a statement on Tuesday said that Wike has gone too far in his anti party behavior.
The statement signed by its Director-General, Mohammed Abubakar Jibo and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, declared that PDP should do more than invite the FCT Minister to appear before its disciplinary committee but to go ahead to either suspend the former governor or expel him outright from the main opposition party.
This, according to the group, becomes imperative in view of Wike’s several anti-party activities, including his openly working against PDP in the 2023 presidential election, which the group stated contributed to the loss of Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, in the election.
While stating that Wike’s tirade against PDP governors was reckless and indecorous, the group asserted that there was nothing wrong with the PDP Governors’ Forum resolution at the governor’s meeting in Jalingo, Taraba State, to stand with their Rivers State counterpart, Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The group also stated that there was nothing wrong in the governor’s decision to consult with PDP National Working Committee (NWC) to allow the governor to take over the leadership of the party in his state to warrant Wike’s threat to cause crises in PDP in their states.
“We as a coalition of youths organisation for democracy, good governance and accountability, noted the threats by the FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike to cause political crises in PDP governed states because of the resolution bt the PDP Governors’ Forum for the return of the party’s structure to Governor Siminalayi Fubara as the rightful leader of PDP in Rivers States.
“There is no doubt that Wike’s threat is nothing but reckless and indecorous, coming from someone who has benefited immensely from PDP, the party he openly worked against its interests in the 2023 presidential election when he supported the incumbent President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC. In our view, there is nothing more anti-party activity than this.
“It is in view of this and other known anti-party activities of the former Rivers governor, that we not only back his invitation to face PDP Disciplinary Committee but also call on the National Working Committee of the party to urgently sanction Wike by either suspending him or giving him an outright expulsion from PDP before he causes further havoc on the party ahead of the 2027 general election,” the statement reads in part.
It further stated that the FCT Minister’s threat poses danger not only to PDP’s unity across the country but also Nigeria’s peace and stability adding that the founding fathers of the main opposition party never found the party to be turned to a tool of manipulation by any of its members in the country.
According to the group, “PDP as a political party is bigger than any individual, no matter how highly placed such a person may be.
“We strongly believe that the founding fathers of the party had never intended that it would become a tool of manipulation by any member of the PDP. We are bold to say that Wike’s excesses are too much and the same cannot be continuously tolerated any further.”
While commending the PDP Governors’ Forum for it stance in ensuring that PDP structure be returned to the Rivers State governor, the group stated that those who assiduously worked to make Wike governor between 2015 and 2023 never hijacked the party structure from him but rather allowed him to assume the leadership of the party in the state.
The group then warned the FCT Minister not to do anything to cause any turmoil in Bauchi State, which it submitted is the most peaceful state in the entire North-East zone.
“Governor Bala Mohammed-led PDP administration in Bauchi State has in the last five years worked hard to maintain peace, security and development in the state. The likes of Wike are not wanted in Bauchi State. The state deserves its peace for its development to continue unabated.”
