PDP Board Member Faults Expulsion Of Wike, Others

A member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Jones Onyereri, has criticised the party’s recent disciplinary actions on some of its members, warning that the National Working Committee (NWC) is driving the PDP into a constitutional and moral crisis.

Speaking on ARISE News on Monday, Onyereri said the expulsion of 11 party members was carried out in flagrant violation of the PDP constitution, the Electoral Act, and established political norms stating that the party ignored clear disciplinary procedures.

“Section 57 of the constitution gives you a clear roadmap on how to discipline the members of the party.

“But instead, what they did was to be in breach of the constitution of the Federal Republic of 1999 as amended, in breach of the electoral act, in breach of the IMF guideline, in breach of the PDP constitution and I dare say, in breach of the political model of constitutional order and conflict resolution,” he said.

He stressed that no party can claim legitimacy without obeying the law as respect for court judgments is essential. He added that he remains committed to the path of justice moving forward.

He also faulted the PDP Board of Trustees for losing its neutrality, saying it has failed to act as the moral compass and conscience of the party at a time when internal disputes required objective guidance.

“Unfortunately, recent developments have shown that the leadership have taken public positions in matters of intra-party issues. And that has affected the neutrality and the moral authority expected of the board. We have eroded public confidence in the objectivity of the board because of this stance,” he said.

Tracing the crisis back to the unresolved dispute over the office of the national secretary, he argued that the leadership could have followed the constitution, citing the combined effect of Sections 47, 5, and 8 of the PDP constitution but instead sold a wrong narrative that misled the entire board.

He also accused some leaders of pursuing personal interests at the expense of agreements freely reached within the party.

“You have agreed on your own that Congress should be held on the South Coast. You have agreed. And then from nowhere, because of personal interest, you reneged on that agreement. Is that fair?” he asked.

He dismissed claims of undue influence, saying he supports only what is right but maintained that those pushing the disciplinary actions are in the wrong.

“On this matter, they are wrong and the moment we start telling ourselves the truth, we realize these things are all self-inflicted,” he said.

He further warned that disenfranchising members puts the PDP “on the wrong side of the road” and deepens internal fractures at a critical political moment.

His comments come after the PDP had, during its national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday, expelled the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu among others for alleged anti-party activities.