Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday criticized the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, asserting that he lacks the authority to direct the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, to resume duties at the party’s national secretariat.
Wike made the remarks during the commissioning of the newly constructed interchange bridge on Arterial Road N20 (Wole Soyinka Way) over the Outer Northern Expressway (Murtala Mohammed Expressway) in Abuja.
He argued that Anyanwu is not Damagum’s appointee and has been carrying out his responsibilities without needing instructions from the acting national chairman.
Wike said: “I watched on national television and heard when the Acting National Chairman of PDP was directing the National Secretary to resume.
The National Secretary is not your appointee. He has been doing his work, so you can’t call him to resume because of the illegalities you perpetrate.
You didn’t show leadership; that is why you put yourself where you are. It’s nobody’s making. The National Secretary has been working and will continue to work. He doesn’t require anybody to direct him to resume his work.”
The minister also took a swipe at the recent visit of PDP leaders, including Damagum, to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He condemned the move as misguided and legally uninformed.
Wike added “If because of your ignorance of the law – too bad – the law does not recognize your ignorance. That you are ignorant of the law is not an excuse.
I feel so bad when people can now move to INEC to direct them to obey Supreme Court judgment. It’s most unfortunate.
A political party will now go and ask INEC what should we do, and INEC will direct them to obey Supreme Court judgment.
You see, when you shoot yourself, you say it’s somebody that shot you. Continue to shoot yourself. I will not be a party to those that will shoot themselves.
When you don’t know something, ask the right person – don’t let ego or monthly allocation drive your decisions. Money does not solve all problems. If you want to learn, come and meet us, we will teach you how to go about it.”
Wike’s comments add another layer of tension within the PDP, highlighting internal conflicts and legal uncertainties within the party’s leadership structure.
