Wike Blasts PDP Leadership Over Court-Ordered Halt of National Convention

Wike Blasts PDP Leadership Over Court-Ordered Halt of National Convention

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has lambasted the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing it of arrogance, impunity, and gross disregard for the party’s constitution and due process.

Wike spoke in Abuja yesterday during a meeting with concerned PDP stakeholders following Friday’s Federal High Court ruling which stopped the party from holding its planned national convention.

The court also affirmed Chief Dan Osi Orbih as the authentic National Vice Chairman (South-South), nullifying the appointment of Chief Emmanuel Ogidi.

The stakeholders’ meeting, held at Wike’s Lifecamp residence, was attended by prominent PDP chieftains including former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, PDP National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Senator Philip Aduda, Hon. Micah Jiba, and several members of the Board of Trustees as well as lawmakers from the South-East, South-South, and North-Central zones.

Speaking before the meeting went into closed-door deliberations, Wike described the development as “one of my happiest and saddest days.”

According to him, while the court decision was a victory for justice and internal democracy, it also underscored the party’s growing disunity and leadership failure.

“If you truly love your party, you cannot be happy with what is going on,” Wike said.

“The essence of an opposition party is to prepare itself to wrest power from the ruling party. To do that, we must follow due process and show Nigerians we can lead differently.

Wike, a former Rivers State Governor, lamented that arrogance and selfish interests had driven the PDP to its lowest point in history.

“Leadership is key. When leaders become arrogant and ignore those who laboured to build the party, that leadership cannot mean well for the party,” he declared.

He recalled that during past crises, some governors, including himself, stood firm to defend the PDP despite pressure and intimidation, adding that the current crop of leaders lacked such courage and commitment.

“I’ve never seen a father who watches his children die and says, ‘I don’t care.’ Yet we have leaders today who don’t care if the party collapses. We will not allow that. Justice must prevail,” Wike said

On the court ruling, the FCT Minister described it as a “bold and correct decision,” insisting that the halted convention violated both the PDP Constitution and the Electoral Act.

“No one is above the law. You cannot call a convention without following due process. A few individuals cannot hijack the party for personal gain,” he said.

Wike accused some PDP governors of mismanaging resources meant for development, warning them to focus on governance rather than political manipulation.

“The money available to states today was never available when we were governors. Use it to develop your states, not to destroy our party,” he charged.

He commended party members who, despite threats and blackmail, challenged what he termed “impunity and illegality” within the party.

“Those who stood their ground have shown courage. History will remember you,” he said.

The stakeholders, in a communiqué read by Okezie Ikpeazu, welcomed the court judgment as a restoration of legality, discipline, and constitutional order within the PDP.

The communiqué stated:

“We reaffirm our commitment to fairness, justice, equity, and inclusivity — the founding pillars of our great party — and commend the judiciary for its courage in upholding truth over impunity.”

It added that all official correspondence with INEC must be jointly signed by the National Chairman and National Secretary, with the latter remaining the principal signatory.

The stakeholders also hailed the court’s confirmation of Ali Odefa’s expulsion, describing it as a move that would “restore integrity and discipline” in the PDP.

They further insisted that no valid national convention could hold until the party fully complies with its constitution and relevant legal provisions.

“Our action is not an interference in the party’s internal affairs, but a patriotic effort to ensure that INEC fulfills its constitutional duty in promoting internal democracy,” the communiqué concluded.