Wike: We’ve Returned PDP to Its Rightful Owners, Govs Must Return Our Mandates

*Saraki, Lamido call for true reconciliation, insist party will never go down

Chuks Okochan and Olawale Ajimotokan in Abuja

Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, last night, made an impassioned address at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention in Abuja, saying the party had been returned to its rightful owners – the people – and as such governors of the party, who had defected must return the PDP mandates.

In his address at the Velodrome, Moshood Abiola Stadium, Wike said the crisis rocking the party has signalled a new era of inclusivity, unity, and renewal.

He portrayed the PDP as a party that has successfully transitioned from the brink of collapse to a state of total recovery. 

He likened the recent leadership struggles in the party not merely as a political spat, but as a battle for the “soul of the party” against those who sought to weaponise ethnic and geographic divisions.

Wike lauded the delegates for their resilience and for rejecting the opportunistic elite, who abandoned the PDP during its darkest hours.

“We arrested the party from the vice grip of those who abhor internal democracy. We have returned the party to its rightful owners—the people. 

“You stayed the course in the stubborn faith that morning would inevitably come, and here we are,” Wike said.

He also extended an olive branch to estranged members, saying despite the hard-fought battles, the rebuilding phase would be all-encompassing.

Some key highlights of his proposed roadmap included total inclusivity,  grassroots empowerment, and adherence to rule of law.

Wike also applauded the party’s grassroots supporters, noting that while “the elite were gyrating from one party to another” in pursuit of selfish interests, the ward-level members remained stable, providing the foundation for the party’s “renaissance.”

He concluded by stressing that the stakeholders were together in standing on the positive side of history.

Wike, however, berated the party’s governors who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as persons who could not solve problems when confronted with one.

He, therefore, urged  the defected governors to return the mandate of the PDP. 

Wike also slammed former Labour party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for abandoning the party.

The FCT minister said, Obi defected to another party instead of staying back to solve the problems of the Labour party.

He asked: “Would he have abandoned Nigeria for another country, if he was elected president? Jumping ships or defecting to another party does not show leadership. Let the PDP governors that defected to another party be ready to return the PDP mandate.”

According to Wike, “All of you who took our mandate, we will take them back,” adding that those detecting had shown that they had no courage to manage crisis

Wike, however, assured members that PDP would be on the ballot in 2027.

He commended INEC for coming to monitor the national convention and also commanded the leaders and delegates for standing for renewal of the party .

Wike said he and others fought and brought back the PDP to the rightful owners.

He said that those who never believed that PDP would rise again has been put to shame and therefore commended the dedication of those who stayed with the faction.

The INEC team that monitored the convention consisted Director EPM, Joan Arabs, Director Legal, Rakiya Nauzo and Director Drafting and Clearance, Nkechi Abuh.

Others are Mustapha Abubakar, Deputy Director Party Legal and Liaison, Mas’ud Hassan, Rakiya Dattijo, Umar Hassan and Babangida  Shanu

Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido who gave a brief account of PDP, called for true reconciliation among members of the party. He insisted that PDP was a grassroots party and therefore  could not  not be appropriated by any group or individual.

Former governor of Kwara State and former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said the convention was out to chart a new way forward.

He, too, said the PDP would be on ballot in 2027, adding that the presence of INEC at the convention was an indication that PDP has come to stay.

He called on the incoming leadership to be magnanimous in victory and appealed to those on sideline to see the light and join the new executive to move the PDP forward.

Both Senator Abba Moro, the senate minority leader and House of Representatives minority leader, Kingsley Chinda called for true reconciliation.

According to Abba Moro, the convention was not and would not be an undertaker of the PDP.

He said the PDP caucus in the National Assembly called for a reconciliation, but the governors rejected the option of a National Caretaker and the governors that rejected reconciliation through Caretaker Committee had abandoned the party.

Moro blamed former National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damaging for rejecting outright the concept of a caretaker committee that could lead to peace and reconciliation within the party and insisted that the Ibadan national convention took place.

He said a time has come where to take a position to reinvent the PDP for the future and most especially, ensure that the PDP is at the 2027 ballot.

The acting national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, said there was internal cohesion before things fell apart due to internal wrangling.

Notwithstanding, there were financial difficulties but the party was able to surmount the challenges. He gave thanks to the FCT minister for supporting the party 

He said original certificate of registration was still intact with him and would hand it over to the incoming national leadership.

The convention was attended by a former Senate President, Dr. Abubakr Bukola Saraki; Mao Ohuabunwa, factional BoT chairman, Ahmed Maikarif; former secretary of the PDP Board of Trustees, Sule Lamido; Samuel Ortom, Ayo Fayose, Ibrahim  Dankwambo, former deputy speaker, Chibudom Nwuche,  Senator Natasha Uduaghan, former National Secretary, Kawo Baraje, Senator Abdul Ningi, and Senator Emmanuel Bwacha,

Also in attendance were former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, Mike Aonadoaka; and former first lady of Niger State, Senator Zainabe Kure.

List of Consensus NWC Members

National Chairman: Hon. Abdulrahaman Mohammed

Deputy National Chairman (South): Aaron Chukwuemeka

Deputy National Chairman (North): Yusufu Nya Akirikwen, San

National Secretary: Anyanwu Samuel Nnaemeka

Deputy National Secretary: Kolawale Olabisi

National Treasurer: Odeyemei Mackson Oladiran

Deputy National Treasurer: Lado Dan Marke

National Financial Secretary: Eyim Donatus Henry

Deputy National Financial Secretary: Dr. Grema Kyari

National Organising Secretary: Umar Mohammed Bature

Deputy National Organising Secretary: Efere Augustine

National Publicity Secretary: Jungudo Haruna Mohammed

Deputy National Publicity Secretary: Egwu Goodluck Chidiebere

National Legal Adviser: Kamaldeen Ajibade, San

Deputy National Legal Adviser: Barr. Aloysius Chinemelu Uba

National Auditor: Osuoha Okechukwu Donatus

Deputy National Auditor: Dr Adaba Ozohu Seri Yatu

National Women Leader: Prof. Ogunshe Adenike Adedayo

Deputy National Women Leader: Hauwa Ahmed Shinge

National Youth Leader: Ibrahim Bala Aboki

Deputy National Youth Leader: Momoh Dejih Eugine Bashir