The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has responded to remarks made by Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Governor of Rivers State, declaring that no individual, including Wike, can dismantle the party.
Wike, speaking at a PDP state congress in Port Harcourt, had warned other PDP governors against interfering in the party’s affairs in Rivers State, threatening to “put fire in their states.”
Wike stated, “Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of the PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give back to somebody. I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states.”
The comments came amid a leadership tussle in Rivers State between Wike and the current Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, both members of the PDP. This internal conflict has caused divisions within the state, leading to the House of Assembly splitting into factions loyal to Wike and Fubara. Despite intervention attempts by President Bola Tinubu and other prominent figures, a resolution has not yet been reached.
Ibrahim Abdullahi, PDP’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, downplayed Wike’s remarks, asserting that the party’s resilience over 25 years makes it impervious to threats from any individual. “No single individual has the capacity to terminate the life of this party, PDP,” Abdullahi said.
The Osun State chapter of the PDP also criticized Wike, urging him to focus on his ministerial duties and cease making divisive statements.
Oladele Olabamiji, Director of Media and Publicity for Osun PDP, described Wike’s statements as “reckless and irresponsible,” emphasizing that Governor Fubara, as a PDP member, deserves support from his fellow governors.
He said, “Wike’s statement is rather a reckless and irresponsible one, to say the least. Governor Fubara is not an outcast. He is a PDP governor. On that premise, it is out of place for Wike to threaten PDP governors for supporting one of their own.
“At the PDP Governors Forum, they can offer help to one of them that needs it. Attacking them for doing that is out of place. We urge PDP governors to protect one of their own. Wike is not the President of Nigeria. He has a job in Abuja. He should face it and stop handing down threat.
“He can do it sometimes and get away with it. But in our case here, he can’t get away with such a reckless statement,” Olabamiji said.
