PDP crisis not over until south-south congress is upheld, says Wike

Nyesom Wike, minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), says the internal crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not be over until the party recognises the outcome of the south-south zonal congress held in Calabar.

Wike spoke on Monday during a media parley in Abuja.

BACKGROUND

On February 22, the south-south zone of the PDP re-elected Dan Orbih, an ally of Wike, as its chairman.

In March, Umar Damagum, acting chairman of the PDP, disowned the congress, saying the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party does not recognise Orbih’s election.

‘OUR CONGRESS MUST BE UPHELD’

Wike said the Calabar congress has to stand.

“Well, it is over for now, because there are still some things remaining, which I’ve told them they must do,” he said when asked if the PDP crisis had been resolved.

“One is, our south-south zonal congress that was held must be upheld. There’s no two ways about it.”

The former Rivers governor said some party leaders attempted to discredit the congress despite a court ruling permitting it to hold.

“Our congress was held in Calabar, and there’s nothing anybody can tell us. If they want another round of crisis, so be it. That congress must be,” he said.

Wike accused the acting national chairman of the PDP of undermining the process by writing to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) days after the congress had taken place.

“The court allowed the congress to hold. Congress was held,” he said.

“The so-called acting national chairman of the party went and wrote a letter to INEC. Congress was held on Saturday — say, for example, on the 5th — and he wrote a letter on the 8th that the congress has been postponed.

“Something was held on the 5th, and on the 8th it was postponed. So, there are no two ways about it. The national vice chairman of PDP south-south is Chief Dan Orbih.”

Wike also dismissed insinuations that he would leave the PDP.

“I will not leave this party, the PDP, which I have done everything for, for the buccaneers and vampires,” he said.

“If I had left the party, the buccaneers and vampires would have remained in PDP to come and collect tickets.”

He urged the party to respect internal processes and warned that any attempt to override the Calabar congress would plunge the PDP into a fresh round of crisis.