Wike meets PDP stakeholders from 36 states, FCT

…….assures party won’t die

Stories by Stanley Onyekwere

In a seemingly twist of narratives, FCT Minister,  Barr. Nyesom Wike  yesterday met with some stakeholders of the embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring not allow the party die.

It was gathered that the at the meeting with the critical main opposition party  stalwarts  under the aegis of “Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP”, some of those present  include former Governors Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia).

Others were the National Secretary of the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; former Senate Minority Leader, Philip Aduda; serving and former federal and state lawmakers, some zonal and state party executives, among a host of others.

Wike while addressing the gathering,  opined  that the concerned stakeholders are those who have always believed and who still believe in the survival of the party.

He said: “Today, this country is stabilized because of the activities of the G5 Governors. You may like us you may hate us.

“The truth of the matter is if G5 did not take the decision we took, this country would have been in crisis. It doesn’t matter who the beneficiary was but the right thing had to be done and we still stand by that decision.

“All of you here are those who are committed to the survival of our party not just on TV talking or on the newspapers talking but committed to the party at the various levels.

“Let us not allow greed, let us not allow ego to kill out party.

“If the party had listened to what we said, we won’t have been where we are today and we have continued to sound it to the party, let the constitution of the party and of the country be respected.

“That, as an opposition party, we cannot continue to act with impunity. No opposition party acts with impunity. Ours is to continue to placate people and bring them together, not to say that they should go to hell.”

Wondering why the fixation on the position of national secretary, the minister recalled that  Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba state was the chairman of the party in the state and that he did not resign before contesting for Governorship but only went back to resign after winning the election.

According to him, the PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi, also contested for the Kebbi state governorship and that he retained his seat even after losing the election.

Also speaking at the meeting, , Dr Ortom noted that he who pays the piper dictates the tune. He challenged anyone in Nigeria to tell Nigerians whoever has contributed to the growth of the PDP more than Wike.

He noted that the President Bola Tinubu understands that the country cannot be a one-party state which was why he appointed Wike into a very sensitive position as the FCT minister.

Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, the meeting , which was still ongoing behind closed doors, is expected to come out with a communique.