PDP BoT Tells Wike: Remain Focused, We Are Proud Of You

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to remain steadfast and focused, assuring him that the party and its members are proud of his performance and capacity.

The BoT made the call when a delegation of its members visited Wike at his Abuja residence on Tuesday evening to condole with him over the death of the party’s National Vice Chairman (South South), Chief Dan Orbih.

The delegation, led by the BoT Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, included Senator Zainab Kure, former Minister of Sports, Hon. Damishi Sango, BoT Secretary, Isah Dansidi, among others.

Ohuabunwa said the delegation was made up of selected BoT members within the Federal Capital Territory, with the geopolitical zones represented, noting that the BoT has more than 100 members.

He said the visit was prompted by two major reasons: to condole with Wike over Orbih’s death and to show solidarity with and encourage the FCT minister.

According to him, Orbih, who was also a BoT member, was a committed and consistent member of the PDP, a pillar of the party and a close associate of Wike.

“The news of his demise was shocking and painful to us. He was not only a committed party member, he was a very close associate of our national leader.

“Chief Dan Orbih was one of our political generals and close associates of our national leader, the honourable minister. So, we’ve come to condole with him and console him and he has accepted to take our message to the Orbih family,” Ohuabunwa said.

The BoT chairman also urged Wike to remain focused, saying the minister had consistently spoken the truth about the PDP.

“Also, we are here to solidarize with him, encourage him and tell him to remain focused. Because everything he’s been saying about the party is nothing but the truth.

“When he was offered this appointment, he wrote the party at all levels and the party unanimously accepted and asked him to go and represent the party.

“And we want to boldly say that as a party and as the conscience of the party and also the compass of this party, we are very, very proud of him. Proud of him as a person, proud of him in performance, proud of his capacity,” he said.

Responding, Wike thanked the BoT members for the visit and reiterated his commitment to remaining in the PDP and working with others to rebuild the party.

The minister described Orbih’s death as an irreparable loss, recalling that the deceased played a significant role in his emergence as governor of Rivers State in 2015.

“God used Dan Orbih to make me a governor. He was the Chairman of PDP in Edo State at that time and there was a crisis in Rivers State PDP. He chose to stand by the truth and that’s how I became governor.

“It’s unfortunate that he died and there is nothing any of us can do about it.

“Therefore, I thank you all for coming to identify with me. Most importantly, the loss is also your loss because he was part of you,” Wike said.

On the 2027 elections, however, Wike reiterated his support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, while urging PDP members and supporters to concentrate on other levels of the elections.

“After supporting President Tinubu in 2023, it will be wrong of me to support another person to face him when he is seeking reelection, and I have made this clear before now.

“But that should not prevent the PDP from contesting elections at the subnational levels,” Wike said.