Wike throws fresh challenge at Makinde, Turaki

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday criticised factions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the party’s lingering leadership crisis.

Wike specifically faulted groups associated with Seyi Makinde and Taminu Turaki, accusing them of deliberately disregarding court rulings, a move he said undermines democratic principles.

Speaking during a media chat in Abuja, the minister dismissed claims of an interim leadership arrangement within the party, describing such moves as illegal and misleading.

“When will people stop being fraudulent? You cannot disobey court judgments and then turn around to deceive Nigerians that you have a legitimate structure. That is not how democracy works,” Wike said.

He maintained that only a leadership recognised by the courts can legitimately administer the party’s affairs, stressing that any parallel structure amounts to illegality.

“You don’t form a leadership in your bedroom and call it a national structure. Let them open an office anywhere and call it PDP secretariat — I dare them. That is how you know what is real and what is not,” he added.

Wike argued that ongoing attempts to constitute what he described as an “illegal caretaker arrangement” were aimed at misleading party members and the public, noting that the judiciary had already provided clarity on the issue.

“The court has made it clear who should run the affairs of the party pending a lawful convention. You cannot ignore that and start setting up another structure. That is fraud,” he said.

The FCT minister further criticised what he described as a decline in integrity among some political actors, including senior lawyers and party leaders, accusing them of undermining institutions for personal gain.

“People you expect to uphold the law are the ones trying to bend it. That is the tragedy of our system,” Wike stated.