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By Dayo Davids
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar appear not sure of what to do with Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) who last week, insisted that he had no plans to quit the party.
The PDP and Atiku are challenging the declaration of Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress as winner of the February 25 presidential election.
The stand of the party on the election notwithstanding, Wike has accepted cabinet position and last week, dared any member of the party from suspending him; a development that unsettled Atiku’s camp, which promptly reminded Wike through one of its spokesmen, Barrister Daniel Bwala that he would be sanctioned at the appropriate time.
Atiku has succeeded in positioning himself as the national leader of the PDP as Wike’s continuous flirtation with the APC has made it easier for him to convene two stakeholders meetings in Abuja attended by eminent leaders of the party including a handful of PDP governors. However, Wike’s continuous membership of the PDP poses a huge threat to whatever the former Vice President may have in mind politically for the future on the platform of the PDP.
A member of the National Working Committee who does not want his name in print told PointblankNews.com that unless Wike was expelled from the PDP, Atiku will struggle in vain to mount a serious opposition ahead of the next election cycle.
“There is a reason Wike is boasting the way he is doing. A lot of people are saying what they don’t know. Some have claimed that the leadership of the party cannot challenge him because he (Wike) gave them a lot of money. Truth is that Wike was not the only Governor who spent money to keep the PDP as a formidable opposition party.
“Truth is, Wike alongside his friends and associates played a key role in the emergence of this current National Working. He had a hand in the victory of officers of the party who are running the show at Wadata today.
“I am not saying every NWC member is loyal to Wike but why are they not talking? Why is the spokesman of the party not talking? Why has there been no formal statement from the party to strictly address Wike’s public insults, which are now pouring in almost on a weekly basis?
“Atiku cannot be in firm control of party affairs if Wike’s men populate the NWC. This is the dilemma we are in,” he said.
Similarly, a former governor and member of the National Executive Committee of the PDP has urged the party to summon a NEC meeting to deliberate on the way forward.
Speaking with our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, the PDP leader said, “Some of us have intervened privately but our advice has so far been ignored. This is not the PDP we used to know. I am not aware that any man or woman ever boasted on live television that he or she is bigger than PDP.
“First, it is a shame that a man who claims to be a PDP member will be nominated to serve a government whose legitimacy we are challenging in court. It is even more shameful that the NEC and NWC are carrying on as if nothing has happened. Apart from press statements on routine issues, have you seen us demonstrate the character of a party in opposition?,” he asked.
He also questioned Damagum’s integrity wondering why he has remained silent despite claims by Wike that he wrote him a letter of notification that he had been nominated to serve in the cabinet of Tinubu.
“It is still like a dream that Wike’s claim that he wrote to the Acting National Chairman has not been addressed by the man at the center of all this. Why is Damagum silent? If Wike wrote to him, did he present the letter before the NWC members? Were they also aware? Perhaps, he needs more time to think and make up his mind on what to do,” he added.
However, Deputy National Youth Leader of the PDP, Timothy Osadolor has assured party members that the era of Wike deciding the direction of the party is over.
According to him, “The PDP is not the personal asset of Wike and as such, he cannot stop the party from making progress. I agree there are issues but they will be resolved.
“Atiku is a democrat who believes in the rule of law. The Presidential Election Petition Court will deliver its ruling soon and after that, Nigerians will know if Wike truly owns the PDP or not. Let’s be patient,” he counselled.