Former presidential aide, Reuben Abati, has said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has established himself as the national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) amid the party’s lingering internal crisis.
NOP NIGERIA reports that Abati made the remark during Arise Television’s Morning Show on Monday, citing recent developments within the PDP that suggest a resurgence of Wike’s political influence, particularly following competing party conventions and conflicting court rulings.
While referencing the judgments delivered by different courts, including those presided over by Justices Lifu, Omotosho and Akintola, as well as subsequent rulings from the Court of Appeal, Abati maintained that Wike remains the dominant figure in the PDP.
The veteran journalist questioned the authenticity of the convention held by rival factions, including the one at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, which was reportedly monitored by officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Abati added that despite the uncertainty, Wike appears to have consolidated his position within the party, with growing perceptions among supporters that he now plays a leading role at the national level.
He said, “Nyesom Wike has established himself as the national leader of the party, because it was a triumph for his own wing of the party.
“But if you look at the rule of law now, which convention is now valid. If you look at the rulings of the Court of Justice Lifu, Justice Omotosho, Justice Akintola, and the subsequent court of appeal judgments. They are not rubies, they are judgments.
“So which one is now the valid convention? The problem is that the convention at the Moshod Abiola stadium was witnessed by the INEC, a 13-man delegation led by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
“So which one now is authentic? So you are still going to see, in my view, a lot of drama coming from the direction of the People’s Democratic Party.
“But the lowest common denominator is that Wike has bounced back. He has established himself. People on the streets are saying him as a national leader of the party.
“So we have to wait before we drive any conclusion in this regard for the Supreme Court ruling the Turaki’s faction, having gone all the way to the Supreme Court to determine which section of the party is authentic or not.
“What we know that we can hold on to is that here Nyesom Wike, Minister the FCT, says although he is going to deliver presidency to President Bola Tinubu as he has done in the PDP. That’s what he’s also doing at the state level.
“It was a weekend of conventions with a lot of ugliness, with a lot of excitement, but the joke is on the PDP as a political party.”
