PDP Crisis: Disciplinary Committee summons Wike

The Minister of the FCT and former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, is to face a disciplinary committee over alleged anti-party activities.

While speaking on Channels TV on Monday, the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the disciplinary committee, led by Tom Ikimi, a former foreign affairs minister, had already invited the minister to appear before it.

Mr Abdullahi said the party had received several petitions against some members of the party who are allegedly involved in anti-party activities.

“Three weeks ago, we put up two committees: one for reconciliation and another for disciplinary action, and Nyesom Wike is one of the persons to face the disciplinary committee, which is headed by elder statesman Chief Tom Ikimi.

“The disciplinary committee will look into issues of anti-party activities. We have been receiving petitions regarding anti-party activities or sabotaging the party throughout the primary, leading to where we are now. These petitions against Wike and other party members have been aggregated and sent to the committee,” he said.

The deputy publicity secretary disclosed that there had been strong calls for the party to curtail Mr Wike’s activities through several petitions.

“Some party members even felt that Wike shouldn’t have gotten to this level still as a member of the PDP, and they have been writing to the leadership,” Mr Abdullahi said.

PDP Crisis

The main opposition party has been in crisis since the presidential convention 2023 when Mr Wike lost the party’s presidential ticket to Atiku Abubakar.

Aggrieved by the outcome of the primaries, Mr Wike, at the time governor of Rivers State, and four other governors who are party members openly campaigned against the party during the general election in 2023, which the party eventually lost.

The other governors were Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo). Only Mr Makinde is still in office, as the others have served out their terms.

The G5 also launched a campaign that eventually led to the exit of Iyorchia Ayu as the PDP national chairman.

Despite serving as an appointee of President Bola Tinubu of the APC, Mr Wike continues to claim control of the PDP at the national level and in his state, Rivers.

The recent rivalry between the minister and his estranged godson, Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, has further polarised the party. Last week, Mr Wike threatened to cause unrest in states governed by PDP governors supporting Mr Fubara.

Meanwhile, a group in the National Assembly, led by Ikenga Ugochinyere, is openly fighting Mr Wike and the Umar Damagum-led NWC for control of the party.

Mr Ugochinyere, a PDP lawmaker from Imo State, alleged that Mr Damagum is loyal to the FCT minister, hence the call for his exit as acting national chairman.

No one is bigger than the party – spokesperson

Speaking to journalists on Monday, the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, echoed some of the views earlier shared by his deputy, stating that the disciplinary committee has the power to summon anyone.

He said the party is governed by its constitution, adding that no one is bigger than the party.

Mr Ologunagba said the recommendations of the disciplinary committee would be forwarded to the NWC, which will, in turn, send them to the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) for a final resolution.

“What we have done is that we have followed our constitution to set up organs or bodies in line with the constitution. We have given them mandates to do certain jobs. It will not be appropriate to preempt them in that assignment. We trust their judgement. We trust their capacity and their commitment to democracy. It wouldn’t be appropriate for us to begin to preempt a process that has just started.

“We gave them terms of reference. And we, as the NWC, do not interfere in their work. We know that they are men of integrity. And in their wisdom, the Disciplinary Committee can invite anybody who is a member of this party—anyone—to speak to them.

“And they can make their determination. And they can make their recommendations in their report to the NWC, which, of course, we will consider and forward to NEC for approval or amendment, as the case may be,” the spokesperson said.

PDP Governors Forum can speak for itself

Mr Ologunagba declined to speak on the comments made by Mr Wike that he would cause unrest for any PDP governor supporting Mr Fubara.

He stated that the PDP Governors’ Forum can react appropriately when necessary.

“The Governors’ Forum remains one of the most potent organs of this party. We recognise their stabilising role and reconciliatory role. The Governors’ Forum is a body with its own regulations, and they respond to issues like this, especially as it concerns them.

“What we know is that nobody is above this party. You can take it home. It is like justice. The wheel of justice grinds slowly, but it grinds well. What we know is that this party, because it is the Peoples Democratic Party and we have governors who are very committed to this party, what we know is that we trust our governors to do that which is needful to ensure that there is stability in their states.

“We trust in their ability to stabilise this party because we know they are stabilising their states,” Mr Ologunagba said.