Anti-party: PDP panel gets report on Wike, Ortom, Makinde

The Peoples Democratic Party National Disciplinary Committee has received reports on alleged anti-party activities of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and others from the National Working Committee.

The committee, led by a former Foreign Affairs Minister, Tom Ikimi, was set up to address and manage all disciplinary matters.

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, and others were reportedly summoned by the party to appear before the panel following a series of petitions against them bordering on allegations of anti-party activities and sabotage during the 2023 elections.

Five former governors of the PDP, led by Wike, allegedly worked against the party and its Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, during the 2023 election.

Wike, Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), Samuel Ortom (Benue State), and Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State fell out with Atiku over the refusal of the former National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, to relinquish his position to a southerner.

The PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, told Sunday PUNCH that Wike, alongside former members of the G-5, and others who were accused of anti-party activities were being summoned to face the panel.

“People are not getting these things; Nigerians have been saying that there is no opposition and that PDP is not active, but now we have constituted two committees to probe the alleged involvement of members in anti-party and sabotage on the party’s chances.

“One of the committees is to reconcile and the other is to discipline where you find defaulters. None of them has sat; what I said previously was that the committees had commenced work. They are doing a letter to Wike and several others that have been petitioned so that they can come and explain their roles as alleged in the elections, pre and post,” Abdullahi said.

When asked if other former G-5 members would also be probed, Abdullahi said, “Yes, if Wike will be summoned, I do not know why others will be exempted. If Wike who is still holding a federal appointment and is even the leader of the ring will be called upon, then it suffices to say that those ones (other G-5 members) are automatic.”

The PDP chieftain insisted the probe of Wike and the others would not cause division in the party but rather instill discipline among members and prevent future reoccurrence of anti-party activity.