Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has disclosed that after the former vice president Atiku Abubakar exited the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party has found peace. Wike was speaking during a live media parley in Abuja this afternoon, saying that the party must now respect and uphold the outcome of the recently held South-South Zonal Congress, which produced Chief Daniel Orbi as the National Vice Chairman, for things to normalise within the party.
According to the minister, “Our South-South Zonal Congress that was convened must be upheld. There’s no doubt, no two words about it,” insisting that the process was valid and had judicial backing.
Wike warned that any attempt to undermine the congress, which took place in Calabar, Cross River State, would not be accepted, while dismissing claims by some party leaders that the congress lacked proper authorisation, reiterating that there was a court ruling that okayed the exercise.
He said, “Our congress was held in Calabar, and there’s nothing anybody can tell us. The Court allowed for Congress to hold,” he said. “If they want another round of Congress, so be it. But our Congress held, and Chief Daniel Orbi emerged as the National Vice Chairman.”
The former governor of Rivers State criticised the PDP’s acting National Chairman for initially opposing the congress, accusing him of trying to sideline the wishes of South-South PDP members.
Querying the chairman, Wike said, “When we were doing our South-South Congress, the Acting National Chairman claimed that PDP governors were not in support. Where are the PDP governors now?”
While taunting the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Wike chided his recent move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as another chapter in Atiku’s long history of party defections since 1999.
Wike declared that Atiku’s departure from the PDP has ushered in a new opportunity to stabilise and focus on internal democracy and focus on democratic processes and regional decisions.
“Atiku served as vice president on the platform of the PDP from 1999 to 2007; he later joined the Action Congress (AC). Subsequently returned to the PDP and later moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and then back to the PDP again, all in pursuit of the presidential ticket.
Wike added, “If I were his son, I would sit him down and ask, ‘Dad, how can you keep hopping from one party to another at almost 80 years old?’”.
The FCT minister attributed Atiku’s latest defection to his fading prospects in the PDP and desperation to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
“The way the PDP is now, it is not likely that Atiku would get a ticket; therefore, it is not comfortable. Therefore, he tells you, ‘Let’s do a coalition against Tinubu.’ It’s not right.
“It is because he cannot get the presidential ticket under the PDP that he pushed for a coalition,” Wike concluded.
He slammed the opposition coalition as a gathering of unserious venture, maintaining that such alliances rarely succeed in Nigeria’s political landscape.
He also condemned the former Senate President, David Mark for joining the ADC, while questioning his performance while he had the opportunity to serve.
