By Comfort Olayinka
As the crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly continues to brew, a formidable youth political group, under the aegies of People’s Democratic Party – PDP National Solidarity Vanguard, has attributed the root cause of the political instability to the Honourable Minister of FCT, Ezemo Nyesom Wike.
To this end, the group asked former Speaker of the Assembly, RT. Hon. Martin Amaewhule and the 24 other Members of the Parliament to blame Wike for their woes.
It would be recalled that, a High Court of Rivers State, on Friday, barred Hon. Amaewhule and 24 other Assembly Members who recently detected from PDP to APC, from parading themselves as Parliamentarian, having lost their seats in the Assembly.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday, the PDP Vanguard, through the Executive Director, Honourable Usman Saidu Calculus, lambasted the FCT Minister, for causing great havoc to the umbrella party in Rivers, calling on the leadership of PDP to take decisive actions against him.
The text of the press briefing is reproduced below:
“Today, therefore, we gather here with heavy hearts and a sense of urgency, to raise what we see as a final warning for those who should act, to do so now before we get to the point of no return.
In specific terms, we are demanding action from the leadership of our great party, the PDP over the show of shame that is playing out in our Rivers State chapter, where the ambition of an individual has set us on a ruinous path. Our great party, the PDP, has faced challenges, but none as grave as the recent loss of 25 lawmakers in a State House of Assembly—a loss that could have been avoided.
This loss of 25 seats in the Rivers State House of Assembly is the direct result of Wike using them as cannon fodder in his ill-advised fight with his successor, Siminalayi Fubara. His bitterness against his successor was such that he was willing to allow the All Progressive Congress (APC) to reap where it did not sow by asking his coterie to illegally defect.
This loss of seats is not all, there is to Wike’s sabotaging of the party. It has now been disclosed that Wike frustrated the 2023 presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi out of the PDP, when he realised that stakeholders wanted the PDP to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the Southeast, which would not have profited him.
Gentlemen of the press, we address you here today, not as mere spectators, but as committed members who believe in the ideals of our party. Let us be clear: the recent defection of these lawmakers was not a mere political manoeuvre. It was a betrayal of the trust bestowed upon them by the people who elected them under the PDP banner.
These lawmakers were not just representatives; they were the voice of the people, the custodians of our party’s legacy, and the guardians of our shared vision for a better Nigeria and keepers of the mandate the electorate gave to the PDP, which they have sadly thrown away.
Former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, once a prominent member of our party played a pivotal role in this monumental loss. His actions have cost us dearly, and we cannot remain silent. To the extent that he has weakened the party for the APC, we can no longer consider him a member of our party. He is already enjoying the 30 pieces of silver he sold the PDP for.
We must express our anger, disappointment, and resolve to protect the integrity of the PDP. But why did this happen? Why did lawmakers who were elected on our platform abandon their mandates, and throw away twenty-five parliamentary seats in one day?
The answer lies in the unchecked ambition of one man—Nyesom Wike. His financial muscle, while impressive, blinded him to the true essence of leadership. Money alone cannot sustain a political movement; it takes wisdom, humility, and a genuine commitment to the people. Only such arrogant that makes him continue to parade himself as a chieftain of the PDP even when his habitual treachery is glaring for all to see.
Femi Falana (SAN), the legal luminary whose insights we respect, has rightly pointed out that political parties are not mere vehicles for personal gain. They are institutions that serve the collective interest of the citizens. Wike’s actions, driven by hubris and a disregard for due process, have undermined our party’s cohesion and unity.
He (Falana) has also said, and we quote: ‘In the eye of the law there are just four members in the Rivers State House of Assembly. The twenty-five other Members that voluntarily left their party without any national crisis were misguided. They’ve lost their seats according to the law.’
We call upon the PDP leadership to take decisive action. The leadership must expel Nyesom Wike from our ranks. Let this be a stern message to all who would put their ambitions above the party’s well-being and future. We cannot afford to lose more lawmakers or members in other states, especially when the stakes are now so high ahead of the next general elections.
Our solidarity vanguard stands firm. We will not waver in our commitment to the PDP’s principles. Let us rally together, rebuild our ranks, and emerge stronger. Our party deserves leaders who uphold its values, not those who undermine them.
In conclusion, let us heed the words of Femi Falana: ‘A political party is not a private enterprise; it is a public trust.’ We must safeguard this trust, and that begins with holding Nyesom Wike accountable for his actions.
Thank you, and may the PDP rise above these challenges to reclaim its rightful place in the hearts of the people”.
