By Muhammad Mamman
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that former Rivers State governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has not faced disciplinary measures for alleged anti-party activities because no formal petition has been lodged against him.
Speaking in Abuja, the PDP’s Deputy National Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha, said the party cannot sanction any member, regardless of their position, without a written complaint supported by evidence.
“At our National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, we set up a disciplinary committee headed by Chief Tom Ikimi, with Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) as secretary,” Osuoha said. “They were mandated to address any infraction or anti-party activity by members. But up until today, no one has been prosecuted or sanctioned, because no petition has been submitted.”
Why Wike has not been disciplined
Wike, who served as Rivers governor from 2015 to 2023 and is now a key minister in President Bola Tinubu’s administration, has faced repeated criticism from within the PDP over his political alliances and open disagreements with the party’s leadership.
Party officials and grassroots members have often questioned why the disciplinary process has not been applied to him.
Osuoha explained that for any case to move forward, complaints must follow due process.
“It is not enough to merely say someone has committed an offence. A formal petition has to be submitted to the disciplinary committee,” he said. “And whoever writes the petition must also be ready to testify and provide evidence when the accused is invited.”
Wider political implications
The remarks come amid persistent internal tensions in the PDP, Nigeria’s main opposition party, which has struggled with factional divides since the 2023 elections.
Osuoha acknowledged that the difficulty in prosecuting disciplinary cases reflects a broader challenge in Nigeria’s governance system.
“This is the same problem with our wider Nigerian system. It is not just about pointing out anomalies; the challenge is following them up to a conclusion,” he said.
For now, Wike remains a powerful figure straddling party and federal politics, with the PDP’s next steps likely to shape both its internal cohesion and its position as Nigeria’s leading opposition bloc.
