The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said there was currently no substantial prove of anti-party activity against the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to warrant discipline.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said Wike has consistently reaffirmed his membership and reiterated his loyalty to the party.
Abdullahi stated this in an interview on Arise TV on Thursday. He added that the PDP would allow him to continue with his membership until there is substantial proof.
He said, “Well, discipline is a very important factor in political party management, but it’s a relative term depending on how you choose to look at it. The last time we checked, Nyesom Wike is saying that he is a bona fide member of the PDP.
“He is still, you know, reiterating his commitment, his loyalty to the party. And to that extent, we are bound by allowing him to continue to do this until we are able to prove substantially that he is not a member of the party or as presently constituted.”
Abdullahi, however, said the Disciplinary Committee headed by Chief Tom Ikimi, would invite the former Rivers State governor for questioning.
He assured that the committee would be transparent and fair in its decision. He emphasized that the National Working Committee (NWC) would be bound by the decision of the committee.
The Deputy National Publicity Secretary added that there would be no sacred cow. He maintained that all party members indicted by the committee would be sanctioned by NWC.
“We have a committee now in charge of discipline, which has just come on board. All of these expectations will be addressed by that committee.
“First, there’s a committee just two days ago, constituted and then led by elder statesman, Chief Tom Ikimi, former minister of foreign affairs, a very important committee like that, peopled by very distinguished members of this party, former governors, former senators, will be expected to have the capacity to assist, you know, the party. We are not claiming to know it all as an NWC.
“We have not admitted that we are the only ones that can solve the problem. Party management requires involvement of founding members of the party. When we have crisis like the ones you are talking about, we can shift it to committees. And that’s why we have not just a committee, for discipline. We also have a committee in charge of reconciliation.
“Therefore, these committees are expected to go down, you know, invite every other person, including Nyesom Wike, to ask and interrogate them over all of these allegations leveled against them.
“And if justification is found, we will sanction them accordingly. You rest assured, there’s not and I need to be quoted on this, not a single member of this party would be vindicated once they are found to have, associated themselves with anything anti -party.
“The committees are going to recommend that sanction and then the NWC would wield its sticks appropriately. I can tell you this, but we have this committee just two days ago, although the committee had been in place since 2017, on other issues.
“It was still able to do a few things before we renewed its mandate just two days ago to look into the contemporary issues and provide solution towards addressing them amicably. So you take this from me, we are going to certainly deal with anyone, anyone, and I need to be quoted we will sanction them accordingly and no sacred cow,” Abdullahi added.