The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party at its national front has refused to abate even as the party struggles to get its axe together ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Already, the major opposition party has polarised even as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has literarily taken over the structures of the party.
While Wike’s camp holds away, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar is said to be hobnobbing with other strong political figures across the country for a possible force that could wrestle power with the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Pundits have expressed concerns over the inability of the PDP leadership to sanction Wike, a former governor of Rivers State over what they perceived as his anti-party activities.
On the contrary, Wike’s influence continues to grow within the structures of the PDP to the extent that his allies carried out the suspension of the party’s BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara, for endorsing Ude-Okoye as national secretary instead of Samuel Anyanwu, an ally of the minister.
Other prominent stalwarts including the chairman of the Abia PDP, Abraham Amah, said on Tuesday that the BoT chairman was suspended for allegedly endorsing Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, who is of the Labour Party, for a second term, just five months into his administration in October 2023.
Also, findings by Investors King from multiple sources within the opposition party’s National Working Committee insisted that one of the reasons Wabara was suspended was because the BoT endorsed Ude-Okoye as the party’s secretary.
Amah, speaking to the State Executive Committee in Umuahia, cited a memo from the party’s state treasurer, Chizurum Kalu, wherein he called for Wabara’s suspension over unfounded statements.
This comes as former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tom Ikimi, leads the party’s National Disciplinary Committee in questioning members today as part of efforts in resolving the crisis that had bedeviled the leading opposition party in the country.
While announcing the suspension of Wabara, Amah requested the Abia State Executive Committee to invoke the relevant sections of the party’s constitution, particularly Section 57, 58 and 59 on the BoT chair, emphasising the need to ensure discipline among party members across board, irrespective of status.
The Abia PDP chairman called for the rebuilding of a strong and viable team that would actively contribute to the advancement of the party and the development of the state.
Meanwhile, the party constituted a seven-man disciplinary committee to investigate Wabara’s alleged statement, while urging members to reaffirm their commitment to the mission of the party.
PDP National Deputy Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, an ally of Anyanwu, backed the suspension of the BoT chair, stating that it was widely known that Wabara expressed support for Otti’s re-election.
Contrary to Osadolor and others’ claim, a credible party source questioned why Wabara had not been sanctioned since 2023 if it was due to his alleged support for Otti’s re-election.
Additionally, the PDP NWC rejected the suspension of Wabara.
In a statement on Tuesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said, “The NWC categorically dismisses the purported suspension as null and void and of no effect whatsoever not being consistent with the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) and laid down rules of our great Party.
“For emphasis, no State Working Committee has the power to suspend or take any disciplinary action against a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Party without due recourse to the NWC as clearly provided under Section 57 (7) of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017)
“Section 57 (7) is unambiguous in providing that; “Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, Deputy Governors or members of the National Assembly…”
He clarified that the clear meaning of Section 57 (7) is that the Abia State chapter has no authority to take any disciplinary action against the BoT Chairman, as he is a member of the Party’s National Executive Committee.
