The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has literally challenged all the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governors put together to a political duel. Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers State under the platform of the PDP, while addressing the PDP delegates on Saturday, had threatened to “put fire” in any or even all the states governed by the party if their governors dare him by intruding into Rivers State, which he regards as his territory regardless of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is a PDP governor.
Wike has for the umpteenth time confessed his bona fide membership in the PDP even though he works for the All Progressives Party-led federal government.
Now, Wike’s sincerity with the PDP is quite confusing. Does Wike want a strong PDP that can defeat President Tinubu in 2027, or was he appointed to bring down the party and prevent it from fielding candidates in the 2027 general election, particularly the presidency? If Wike truly wants the PDP to survive and be made strong, would he accept the presidential ticket of the PDP when he has severally confessed that Tinubu must be reelected in 2027?
I do not understand Wike’s struggle for the party’s structure in Rivers State. He is also rumoured to be in charge of the APC structure in the state. Could it be that his game plan is to control both parties and nominate the gubernatorial candidates of both parties? Could it be that he intends to deliver the presidential results to the APC and also ensure that the APC takes over the governorship of Rivers State in 2027?
Furthermore, now that Wike has challenged all 13 PDP governors to political combat, would the governors withdraw to their shells? Wike may have been fortified with a huge amount of money by the APC-led federal government to battle the PDP to a standstill, but can the PDP serving governors become subservient to a former governor like Wike? When Wike was making the threat to the governors, he added that he has the capacity to slug it out with all of them out together.
The PDP may hold its national convention before the end of the year to elect its national working committee members. In the absence of a president, the governors are the oxygen of the party. Should they allow Wike to have his way by installing the members of the National Working Committee of his choice? Should that happen, what implications does it have for the party, particularly the 2027 general election?
For peace to reign, this writer is advising the party to allow Wike to have his way in Rivers State. The governors should concentrate their efforts on installing the NWC members that will not allow the party to die or be bought over. Governor Siminalayi Fubara ought to be the leader of the party in the state. However, since Wike seems bent on polarising the party with a view to weakening it for the advantage of the APC, the governor should remain in the party but should build his own grassroots structure outside the party.
There are three ways to elect a candidate for any election: the direct primary, the indirect primary, and the consensus option. The national leadership of the party chooses the option for any state. Therefore, if the PDP governors are able to elect a credible NWC that cannot be bought over by Wike or the APC-led federal government, Fubara and his own candidates may still make the party’s list of candidates for the 2027 general election. There are many ways to kill a bird. They should not play into the hands of Wike. They should do whatever they want to do with the party now before it’s too late, even if it will involve litigation.
Maduako, writes from Owerri via [email protected]
