~Minister hosts party stakeholders
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike yesterday hinged the survival of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on strict adherence to its constitution and 1999 Constitution.
He said if the party had listened to the advice of the ‘Group of Five Governors (G5), it would not have been boxed into its current situation.
Wike, former governor of Rivers State, recalled the agitation of the five governors for presidential zoning or rotation, noting that it has stabilised the polity.
He cautioned against double standards, wondering why only the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, was prevented from returning to his position after losing the Imo State governorship poll.
Wike pointed out that other party officers who lost elections were allowed to return to their positions, stressing that it smacked of partiality.
The minister hailed the resolution of the stakeholders to work for the survival of the party.
Wike reflected on the challenges confronting the main opposition party when he hosted some stakeholders in his official residence in Abuja.
At the meeting were former Governors Ifeanyi Uguanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia); Senator Anyanwu; former Senate Minority Leader Philip Aduda; serving and former federal and state lawmakers, and zonal and state party executives.
He described those who visited him as stakeholders who believe in the survival of the party.
Wike said: “All of you here are those who are committed to the survival of our party, not just on TV talking or in the newspapers talking, but you are committed to the party at the various levels.
“Today, this country is stabilized because of the activities of the G5 Governors. You may like us, you may hate us. The truth of the matter is that if G5 did not take the decision we took, this country would have been in crisis.
“It doesn’t matter who the beneficiary was, but the right thing had to be done and we still stand by that decision.
“If the party had listened to what we said, we won’t have been where we are today and we have continued to sound it to the party, let the constitution of the party and of the country be respected.
“That, as an opposition party, we cannot continue to act with impunity. No opposition party acts with impunity. Ours is to continue to placate people and bring them together, not to say that they should go to hell. Let us not allow greed, let us not allow ego to kill out party.”
The FCT minister who condemned the fixation on national secretary, said Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State, who was the chairman of the party in the state, did not resign before contesting for governor.
Wike said Kefas only went back to resign after winning the election.
He said that the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, who contested for the Kebbi State governor, retained his seat even after losing the election.
Ortom noted that he who pays the piper dictates the tune, challenging anyone to tell Nigerians who has contributed to the growth of the PDP more than Wike.
The former governor said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed Wike as FCT minister because he does not believe in a one-party state.
Ortom said: “For whatever reason, PDP made a lot of mistakes and we are where we are today.
(The Nation)
