Supreme Court Ruling Ends PDP Factional Crisis – Wike
•By Admin
ABUJA — THE Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, has said that the lingering factional crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been resolved, following a ruling by the Supreme Court of Nigeria affirming the party’s leadership and convention.
Wike, who spoke yesterday at a press conference at his residence in Guzape, Abuja, said the judgment had effectively laid to rest disputes over parallel leadership structures within the party.
He also dismissed claims that the apex court affirmed the suspension of the PDP National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, insisting that such an issue was not before the court.
According to him, the Supreme Court dismissed appeals challenging earlier judgments of lower courts, thereby upholding the legitimacy of the party’s convention and its current leadership.
“Today, the Supreme Court has brought to an end the so-called factions of the PDP. There is no more faction in the party. There is only one PDP,” he said.
Wike added that attempts by aggrieved members to overturn the outcome of the convention had failed at all judicial levels.
“The Supreme Court has validated our convention and set aside all claims to any parallel structure. What this means is that the PDP has come to stay as one united party,” he stated.
The minister stressed the need for political actors to operate within the ambit of the law, warning against actions capable of undermining party constitutions and electoral regulations.
“The fact that you are in a position does not mean you can act outside the law. There are rules guiding party activities, and those rules must be followed,” he said.
He also downplayed the influence of some defectors who left the party during the crisis, describing them as politically insignificant, while noting that those who exited out of uncertainty could reconsider their decision.
“Those who left are not electoral assets; they are liabilities. However, those who left out of uncertainty may reconsider and return now that the situation is clear,” he said.
On ongoing coalition talks among opposition figures, Wike ruled out participation in alliances that lack clear national interest.
“We do not believe in opposition for opposition’s sake. Our approach is constructive, not destructive,” he added.
He further noted that recent judicial pronouncements reinforce the need for due process in political activities, urging aggrieved parties to seek redress through the courts.
Wike maintained that the PDP remains the country’s foremost opposition platform and is well positioned to provide credible alternatives in the democratic process.
“The PDP is stable, united and ready to play its role effectively. What has happened today is a victory for the rule of law and internal democracy,” he added.
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