“If Anybody Goes Ahead To Open Illegal Office In The Name Of PDP In Abuja, I Will Seal It” – FCT Wike

 

By Ayodele Oni 

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday stated that a faction opposing the party’s recognised leadership lacks legal standing and can not lawfully operate the affairs of the party.

A parallel national executive of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), had emerged as the factional National Executive Committee of the party backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, appointed a 13-member Caretaker Committee headed by Tanimu Turaki, SAN, as chairman.

The decision was reached on Monday during the faction’s 103rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja.

The motion was moved by the Edo State PDP Chairman, Tony Aziegbemi, and seconded by the party’s ex officio member, Clement Fagboyede from Ondo state.

The action was coming after the Supreme Court finally nullified the Ibadan Oyo state convention of the PDP held last year during which Turaki emerged as chairman.

Speaking during a live media chat with journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, Wike accused some party leaders of misleading Nigerians and violating court judgments in the lingering leadership crisis rocking the PDP.

He challenged rival factions in the PDP to open an official party bank account and secretariat if they truly believe they control the opposition party’s structure.

The former Rivers State governor insisted that “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.”

He specifically challenged  Taminu Turaki, SAN, and other leaders of the rival camp to test their claims by opening a bank account in the name of the PDP.

“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 stated.

Wike argued that no bank would recognise such an account because the faction allegedly lacks the legally recognised party structure and documentation required to operate.

“That bank 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?”, he queried.

The FCT minister also warned against attempts to establish what he described as illegal party offices, vowing that any action capable of causing a breakdown of law and order in Abuja would not be tolerated.

“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,” he said.

Wike maintained that court judgments had already settled the dispute over the PDP leadership and convention issues, accusing some actors of twisting judicial pronouncements for political convenience.

“People should stop deceiving Nigerians. The judgments are clear. You cannot ignore court decisions and begin to create parallel structures,” he added.

The minister further dismissed claims that the Supreme Court ruling favoured the rival faction, insisting that the legal processes and decisions available supported his position and that of the recognised party leadership.

According to him, attempts to reinterpret the judgments outside the established legal context were aimed at confusing party members and the public.

Wike said he remained a committed member of the PDP and was only defending what he described as constitutional order and due process within the party.