…says we can’t allow impunity overshadow us

The crisis in the PDP deepened on Saturday as a faction of the party loyal to Wike announced the suspension of its National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has weighed in on the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) saying the issue of impunity cannot be allowed to continue.

The crisis in the PDP deepened on Saturday as a faction of the party loyal to Wike announced the suspension of its National Chairman, Umar Damagum.

The faction is led by Samuel Anyanwu, the embattled national secretary, who was suspended earlier on Saturday by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) after an emergency meeting.

A few hours after his suspension, Anyanwu organised a press briefing where he announced the suspension of Damagum and five other members of the NWC.

Others suspended by the faction were; Debo Ologunagba, the party’s spokesperson, Taofeek Arapaja, deputy national vice chairman (South), Daniel Woyenguikoro, national financial secretary, Sulaiman Kadade, national youth leader, and Setonji Koshoedo, deputy national secretary.

Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today, supported the suspension of the PDP National Chairman.

“We cannot continue to allow impunity,” Wike said.
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He also criticized governor for failing to use the funds at their disposal for the development of their respective states.

Although he didn’t mention any particular state, the minister claimed some governors were using state funds to fuel crisis in the PDP, a party he said has made them who they were.

“I have The problem we are having today in the PDP is that the kind of money in the hands of the governors is so much. I praised the President for allowing so much money in the hands of states which has never happened.

“But I was thinking this money should be put in the development of our states, not to use the money to scatter a party that has built you, that has given you name today, where are we?” he stated.

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Cross River State, Ambassador Ojong Agbor, has congratulated the new Acting National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, and urged him to focus on uniting members and rebuilding the PDP.

In a statement released on Monday, Ambassador Agbor described Abdulrahman’s emergence as “the best thing to have happened to the party,” saying it came at a time when the PDP urgently needed stability and direction.

He said he was delighted to see the new chairman assume office, noting that it signaled a fresh start for the party.

“I congratulate Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman. His emergence is a necessity to save the PDP from total collapse. As a child of necessity, he must unite the party and restore confidence among members,” Agbor said in the release.

He also urged Abdulrahman to move quickly to bring peace to the party, conduct all outstanding state congresses, and resolve disputed ones.

According to him, one of the new chairman’s top priorities should be setting up processes for a proper National Convention to elect a new National Working Committee.

Agbor concluded by praying for divine guidance for Abdulrahman as he begins his leadership journey at a critical time for the PDP.

FCT Minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike on Friday described the court ruling halting the upcoming national convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as a ‘bitter experience’ while commending Justice James Omotosho for his ‘wise decision’.

He noted that although it was a development that evoked happiness but he was however not happy that the party has been made to face such an embarrassing situation.

‘Today, by the grace of God, the court has made a very wise decision, a very good decision. It cannot be business as usual. Those who have deceived members of our great party for too long must now understand that there are laws to follow.

If you don’t follow the law, then there’s nothing we can do. There’s nothing we can do. It’s unfortunate that the National Convention cannot hold; the purported national convention’ he said.

The FCT minister said this while presiding over the meeting held at his official residence in Abuja on Friday evening by the Concerned PDP Stakeholders.

Attendees of the meeting include PDP National Secretary, Mr Sam Anyanwu; former Benue State governor, Mr Samuel Ortom; former Abia State governor, Mr Okezie Ikpeazu; former Senator Philip Aduda; and the Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Martins Amaewhule.

The 2025 Elective National Convention of the PDP is scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State between November 15 and 16, 2025.

Recall that Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja had earlier in the day ordered the PDP to halt plans to hold a national convention until further notice citing failure to comply with some sections of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, and the Electoral Act of 2022.

The PDP, the judge noted, failed to conduct valid Congresses across the states before setting wheels in motion for its convention.

The FCT minister on Friday blamed the PDP governors for handling issues badly.

‘Leadership is key in everything you are doing. When people become arrogant enough to say that nobody matters, when they fail to recognise those who have sustained this party, then such leadership does not mean well for the PDP.

It’s one of my happiest days and also, it’s one of my saddest days. So, it’s like a mixed feeling. If you love your party, you will not be happy with what is going on in your party. So, on one part, we are happy that we have fought impunity on their part.

We are not happy with the way our party is going. I’ve said it several times to my colleagues; it has nothing to do with any personal interest.

The essence of opposition is to wrest power from the ruling party, and therefore opposition must put their house together and follow due process in order to give confidence to the public that we are here to do things differently

The present Governors’ Forum, I’ve never seen anybody, head of a family, who will see his children dying and he will say, ‘I don’t care, let all of them die.’ I’ve never seen that anywhere’ he added.