Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over its handling of the Supreme Court judgment affirming Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
Wike, speaking on Tuesday, accused the PDP’s Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, of exhibiting legal ignorance by allegedly seeking the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) directive before implementing the court’s ruling. He described the move as legally baseless and politically damaging.
“I heard it when the acting national chairman of PDP was directing the national secretary to resume. The national secretary is not your appointee. The national secretary has been doing his work. So, you can’t call him to resume,” Wike stated.
He insisted that Anyanwu, who was duly elected, never vacated his position, thus requiring neither reappointment nor validation from any external body to continue his duties.
“The law does not recognise ignorance. That you’re ignorant of the law is not an excuse,” Wike added, lamenting what he called the party’s failure to act decisively on a matter already resolved by the nation’s apex court.
The minister also censured Damagum for allegedly allowing personal interests and financial considerations to influence his decisions.
“Continue to shoot yourself. I will not be among those who sabotage themselves. When you don’t know something, ask the right person, not because of ego, not because of monthly allocation. Money does not solve all the problems,” he said.
Meanwhile, Senate President Godswill Akpabio noted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is troubled by the instability plaguing Nigeria’s major opposition parties. Speaking during the inauguration of the Arterial Road N20 Interchange Bridges in Abuja, Akpabio pointed to the ongoing PDP crisis and the defection of Senator Neda Imasuen from the Labour Party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is interested in seeing a vibrant opposition. As a true democrat, it saddens him when he sees the opposition in disarray,” Akpabio said.
The Senate President also confirmed that Senator Imasuen, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Code of Conduct, and Public Petitions, had formally joined the APC.
“I’m not tired. I’m happy to receive them because our doors are open in the All Progressives Congress. Congratulations to Imasuen, who has decided to leave the fractured Labour Party to join the APC,” Akpabio added.
The remarks from both Wike and Akpabio highlight the widening cracks within Nigeria’s opposition parties as the ruling APC continues to strengthen its political position.