Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike has called on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to respect the outcome of its recent South-South Zonal Congress.
Wike who made the call on Monday at his monthly media briefing in Abuja, described the exercise as legitimate and conclusive.
He warned against any attempts to undermine the congress proceedings, which produced Chief Daniel Orbi as the zone’s National Vice Chairman.
“Our South-South Zonal Congress that was held must be upheld. There’s no doubt, no two words about it,” Wike said.
The FCT minister revealed that the Congress which held in Calabar, Cross River State had judicial backing, dismissing claims by some party officials that it lacked proper authorisation.
“Our congress was held in Calabar, and there’s nothing anybody can tell us. The Court allowed for the Congress to hold.
“If they want another round of Congress, so be it. Our Congress held, and Chief Daniel Orbi emerged as the National Vice Chairman,” he said.
Wike also took a swipe at the party’s acting National Chairman for initially opposing the Congress, questioning, “when we were doing our South-South Congress, the Acting National Chairman claimed that the PDP governors were not in support of the National Congress. Where are the PDP governors now?”
The minister also criticised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s latest political move to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), cataloging his history of party defections since 1999.
“Atiku was in the PDP in 1999, then he joined the Action Congress (AC). After AC, he returned to the PDP, later moved to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and then back to the PDP again, all in pursuit of the presidential ticket.
“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?'” he said.
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,” he said.
Wike dismissed the opposition coalition as an unserious venture, maintaining that such alliances rarely succeed in Nigeria’s political landscape.
