Wike Dismisses Atiku, Mark, Says They Are Not Needed In PDP

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Senate President David Mark are no longer welcome back into the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), describing them as “political liabilities.

In an interview at his Abuja residence yesterday evening, Wike also weighed in on recent court rulings affecting both the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the PDP, insisting that the legal battles had left the ADC in a precarious position while firmly settling the LEADERSHIP crisis within the PDP.

“ADC is neither here nor there. Whichever way you look at it, there’s no way it has given them any upper hand,” Wike said, responding to a question about the opposition party’s legal standing as a trained lawyer.

He explained that the Supreme Court, in a related ruling on the ADC matter, vacated the status quo ante bellum order that had sustained certain arrangements within that party, directing that the proceedings be returned to the Federal High Court for continuation.

“ADC is still in a big problem. Whether they go back to the Federal High Court means the Federal High Court will continue until it renders its final judgment. But before that final judgment comes, there is already a judgment by the same Federal High Court,” he said.

On the PDP leadership crisis, Wike was categorical that Thursday’s Supreme Court judgment, which extinguished the Tanimu Turaki-led faction, has proven beyond dispute that there is only one PDP, led by National Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman.

“There are no more factions in PDP,” he said. “PDP has gone to rest.”

Asked whether prominent figures who left the PDP for the ADC during the internal crisis would be welcomed back, Wike drew a sharp distinction between ordinary members and the “principal actors.”

“Those who originally left from the outset, who wanted to bring the people with natural liabilities into the party, we don’t want to take those back.

“My brother, Mark, and my friend, Atiku, who are here now, are holding a coalition meeting. We are not part of that. I don’t know where they will be heading now,” he said.

The minister also addressed the status of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary, dismissing claims that any court ruling had legitimately suspended or removed him.

Wike argued that the committee that recommended Anyanwu’s suspension produced a report that was never ratified by the appropriate party organ.

“The FCT High Court cannot say we will stand by the suspension. Whose suspension? There was no suspension,” Wike stated.

He added that the PDP had since lifted any outstanding disciplinary measures, allowing those affected to contest at the national convention.

“So, assuming but not conceding that the other group suspended Sam Anyanwu and others, the same party has said we have forgiven you. Come and contest the election. And they contested and were voted in at the National Convention. So the issue of suspension no longer arises,” he said.

Wike concluded that the series of judgments, from the Federal High Court through the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court, had consistently validated the convention that produced the current PDP leadership.

“In politics, you must be ready to make sacrifices. Everything they have done has been set aside,” he said.