‘Sanction Or Reconcile?’, PDP Divided On Wike’s Romance With APC

Indications emerged on Wednesday that leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are divided on the former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike’s open romance with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Wike, who remains a member of the opposition PDP, worked against his party’s presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar during the 2023 general elections and was rewarded with a position in President Bola Tinubu’s cabinet as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

On Tuesday, Wike’s name appeared on the list of the APC campaign council for the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

Although the APC later withdrew the list, saying it was not authorised, THE WHISTLER gathered that initial reports that Wike had been included in the campaign council angered PDP leaders.

A source at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja informed this paper on Wednesday that the development was seen as ‘highly embarrassing and provocative’ by some party leaders.

Some PDP leaders, who felt that the party had been embarrassed by the development, are pushing to wield the big stick on Wike by penalising him, according to the source, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.

“They feel that since Wike is still a card-carrying member of the party, the PDP should save face and show strength, and send out a message that the party cannot be embarrassed by any individual, by sanctioning Wike.

“As it is, they are insisting that there are enough grounds to subject Wike to disciplinary measures for engaging in anti-party activities,” the source said.

But this paper gathered that PDP leaders, including those who would like to see Wike sanctioned, are divided over how best to handle the matter.

Some are of the view that the party should invoke the provisions of Section 58(1)(f) of its Constitution, which provides for punishment for anti-party activities.

Section 58(1)(f) of the PDP Constitution stated: “Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Party shall have power to discipline any member who engages in anti-party activities.”

The penalty for engaging in anti-party activities is suspension or outright expulsion.

While some in the PDP want Wike suspended, or even expelled, it was gathered that the former Rivers governor’s recent claim that he got the approval of the party’s leadership before joining Tinubu’s cabinet had led to distrust among party leaders, making it difficult for any decision to be taken concerning him.

Wike’s claim that PDP governors nominated persons for appointment by Tinubu had also weakened the position of those who want him sanctioned, THE WHISTLER further learned.

“If Wike’s claims are indeed true, then the party leaders and even governors can also be accused of engaging in anti-party activities by indirectly working with and supporting the ruling party. That is the dilemma which nobody is ready to openly address,” the source noted.

The reluctance of the PDP leadership to address the claims made by Wike had given rise to suspicions among party members, according to the source.

The PDP National Working Committee (NWC) led by Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum is yet to comment on Wike’s revelations.

When contacted, PDP spokesperson Debo Ologunagba said the party will address the matter at the appropriate time.

“Our party will come up with a position; when we are ready we will inform you. We will always do that,” he said.

Meanwhile, other leaders of the PDP prefer that the party tread softly by handling the Wike situation with care.

Those who share this view believe that Wike is an influential politician who could still be of immense value to the PDP in the future when current differences within the party have been resolved.

“There are those who feel it is not too late to reconcile all aggrieved members and bring people such as Wike back into the fold, which is ultimately in the best interest of the party,” the source added.

THE WHISTLER further learned that party leaders who are pushing for reconciliation believe that Wike could have resigned his membership, and formally defected to the APC if he really wanted to dump the PDP.

The source, who spoke with this medium at the PDP national secretariat on Wednesday, noted that the removal of Wike’s name from a revised list of the APC Bayelsa governorship campaign council before it was subsequently withdrawn entirely, shows that Wike had not committed to work for the APC in the poll.

Before Wike’s name appeared on the APC campaign list on Tuesday, he had also been included in the PDP campaign council for the same Bayelsa governorship election.

However, Wike was absent during the inauguration of the 72-man PDP campaign council, chaired by Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas.