Wike accuses Makinde-backed group of illegally using PDP’s name
• If they open an office, it will be sealed • Minister’s threat empty, says group • Fubara neglects governance for politics Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has
• If they open an office, it will be sealed
• Minister’s threat empty, says group
• Fubara neglects governance for politics
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has dared the Tanimu Turaki group backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde claiming leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to open a bank account in the name of the party or a national secretariat in Abuja.
He warned that any structure leased by the committee and bank branch used to open an account for it would be sealed.
Following the Supreme Court judgment, which upheld the cancellation of the Ibadan convention conducted by the Makinde-backed group, the group insisted on carrying on as officials of the party with Turaki as head.
The group also called for purchase of nomination forms ahead of planned primaries.
But Wike said yesterday they have no legal authority to claim PDP leadership.
“There is no room for fraud. If they sell form, to who will they submit the form?” he queried, in view of their non-recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
But the Turaki-led group dismissed the minister’s threats, saying the media chat was “full of sound and fury.” It accused Wike of treating ‘’Nigerians to an unsolicited overdosage of political rascality, moral emptiness, crass opportunism.’’
But during the media chat, Wike, who also spoke on a variety of issues, including defections, accused the Turaki group of ‘’deliberate defiance of court judgments and an orchestrated campaign to deceive Nigerians.’’
He said: “When will people stop being fraudulent? You cannot disobey court judgments and then turn around to deceive Nigerians that you have a legitimate structure. That is not how democracy works.
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“You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians. If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them open an official PDP account and tell party members to pay nomination fees into it .’’
The minister argued that no financial institution would entertain such a request because the interim committee lacked the authentic party documentation and legally recognised leadership structure required to pass banking due diligence.
“Any bank that opens an account for them will be in trouble because to open such an account, you must provide the party’s authentic documents and recognised leadership. Who has those documents? Who has the certificate of incorporation? It is the secrecy of the party.’’
Wike warned that Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), would lose his silk if he proceeded with the account and secretariat openings.
He added: “Let Turaki, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, open an account for the PDP. Let them announce it publicly for members who want to contest elections. That day, you will see what will happen. He will lose his silk.
“You don’t form a leadership in your bedroom and call it a national structure. Let them open an office anywhere and call it the PDP secretariat — I dare them. That is how you know what is real and what is not.
“If anybody goes ahead to open an illegal office in the name of the PDP in Abuja, I will seal it. I will not allow any breach of peace because my duty is to maintain law and order in the Federal Capital Territory.”
The minister described the Interim Committee as an attempt to mislead PDP members and the wider public in the face of clear judicial pronouncements.
“The court has made it clear who should run the affairs of the party, pending a lawful convention. You cannot ignore that and start setting up another structure. That is fraud. It is 419.
“People you expect to uphold the law are the ones trying to bend it. That is the tragedy of our system,” he said.
He also accused the committee of deliberately misreading judicial pronouncements to confuse members and the public.
However, the Turaki-led group said no amount of threat will frighten them from going ahead with activities aimed at producing a credible presidential and other candidates for the general election.
The group alleged in a statement by its spokesman, Ini Ememobong, that Wike was worried about the commencement of its sale of forms, planned primaries and national convention.
Wike knocks Fubara
Wike accused Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara of placing his second-term ambition above governance.
Wike, who also knocked former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, said Fubara’s decision to seek election was entirely his personal choice.
He pointed out that the governor had, by his latest action, laid bare certain realities about his character.
Wike expressed shock that Fubara has failed to present a budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“The governor is yet to submit his budget to the House of Assembly, but he is busy pursuing his second-term ambition,” he said.
Wike warned that the delay in presenting the budget could hamper the smooth running of government and the delivery of essential services to residents.
He also cleared the air on the purported anointment of a candidate for the state’s governorship poll.
He said the Rainbow Coalition would meet to decide on that.
“Nobody can stop anyone from running for an election. It’s a choice, but he (Fubara) has just exposed himself,” Wike said.
Wike said Obi was seeking a party that is ‘food is ready’ to contest. He added that Atiku’s current political moves were motivated by personal ambition.
He said: “Atiku left PDP because he knows he cannot get through. He cannot get to where he can take everybody. Because he has always wanted to run. And we said he won’t run again. He did everything.
‘’He saw that he could not manipulate it, and then, he had to go to where he would be comfortable to get the ticket. And you are calling it opposition.”
Wike, who maintained that he remained a committed PDP member, reiterated that his support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 election did not prevent his party(PDP) from winning key positions in Rivers state.
“When we supported Tinubu in 2023, my party still won the governorship, National Assembly, and the State Assembly,” he added.
The minister downplayed the idea of a united opposition coalition capable of confronting the ruling All Progressives Congress(APC) next year.
“This issue of coalition is unrealistic. I mean coercion. In fact, I told you, there’s nothing called a coalition.
‘’I said they will all fall like a pack of cards. You are looking at a coalition based on faces. Why don’t people raise other parties?
‘’We have nothing less than 20 separate political parties,” Wike said.
He also addressed the controversy over his crackdown on abandoned and poorly developed land around Jabi Lake in Abuja.
This followed a viral video in which a popular pastor appealed to him to leave the area, which she described as a shared heritage.
The minister, who said he was unmoved, insisted that the FCT Administration’s actions were strictly guided by law and the Abuja Masterplan.
He said: “They told us they would build something like what you see in Dubai — a city walk, a proper entertainment centre. But what do you find there today? Shanties. Who will come and stay in such a place?”
