By Ben Adoga, Abuja
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday challenged leaders of a rival faction within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prove their claim to the party’s leadership by opening an official bank account in the party’s name.
Wike, who spoke during a live media chat in Abuja, said those claiming to have taken over the leadership of the opposition party should publicly operate as a recognised political structure if they were truly in control of the PDP.
“You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians. If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them open an official PDP account and ask members to pay nomination fees into it,” he said.
The former Rivers State governor specifically called out Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman Adolphus Wabara, former Minister of Special Duties, Tanimu Turaki, SAN, and other members of the faction that recently announced a caretaker committee for the party.
“Let Turaki, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, open an account for the PDP. Let them announce it publicly for members who want to contest elections. That day, Nigerians will know the truth,” Wike declared.
The minister argued that no financial institution would recognise such an account because the rival group lacked the legally recognised party structure and authentic documents required to operate.
“That bank will be in trouble because to open such an account, you must provide the party’s authentic documents and recognised leadership. Who has those documents?” he queried.
Wike also dismissed the caretaker committee set up by the Turaki-led bloc, describing it as an attempt to mislead party members and create confusion within the PDP.
According to him, there is no leadership vacuum in the party, insisting that Wadata House in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, remains the PDP’s only recognised national secretariat.
“I dare them, let me see any office they will name PDP national secretariat. If you say you are a party, go and put a signboard there, the way we are occupying Wadata,” he said.
The FCT minister warned that any attempt to establish parallel PDP offices in Abuja would not be tolerated, saying his administration would act against structures that could cause a breach of peace in the nation’s capital.
“If anybody goes ahead to open an illegal office in the name of the PDP in Abuja, I will seal it. My duty is to maintain law and order in the Federal Capital Territory,” he stated.
Wike further maintained that court judgments had already resolved the dispute surrounding the PDP leadership crisis and accused some party leaders of twisting judicial pronouncements for political convenience.
“The judgments are clear. You cannot ignore court decisions and begin to create parallel structures,” he added.
The PDP has remained embroiled in internal disputes over leadership and convention issues ahead of the 2027 general elections, with different factions laying claim to the party’s structure and direction.
