Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has thrown a challenge to rival factions in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, daring them to open an official bank account or establish a party secretariat if they truly believe they control the party’s structure.
Wike, who spoke during a live media chat with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, accused the factional camp of misleading Nigerians and disregarding subsisting court judgments on the leadership crisis rocking the PDP.
He maintained that the group opposing the recognised leadership of the party lacked legal backing to administer its affairs, insisting that its claims were not supported by any legitimate party structure.
“You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians. If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them open an official PDP account and tell party members to pay nomination fees into it,” Wike said.
He specifically challenged the faction led by Taminu Turaki, SAN, and others, to put their claims to the test by formally opening a bank account in the name of the party.
“Let Turaki, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, open an account for the PDP. Let them announce it publicly for members who want to contest elections. That day, you will see what will happen,” he said.
Wike argued that such a move would not even be recognised by financial institutions, insisting that no bank would proceed without verified party documents and legitimate leadership recognition.
“That bank will be in trouble because to open such an account, you must provide the party’s authentic documents and recognised leadership. Who has those documents?” he queried.
The FCT Minister also warned against attempts to establish parallel party offices, saying any illegal structure operating in Abuja under the name of the PDP would be shut down.
“If anybody goes ahead to open an illegal office in the name of the PDP in Abuja, I will seal it. I will not allow any breach of peace because my duty is to maintain law and order in the Federal Capital Territory.”
Wike maintained that existing court judgments had already clarified the leadership status of the party, accusing some actors of deliberately misinterpreting rulings for political advantage.
“People should stop deceiving Nigerians. The judgments are clear. You cannot ignore court decisions and begin to create parallel structures,” he added.
He further dismissed claims that Supreme Court decisions supported the rival faction, insisting that the legal position on the matter was already established and binding.
According to him, continued attempts to reinterpret court rulings were aimed at confusing party members and the public ahead of future elections.
Wike said he remained a committed member of the PDP and was only defending constitutional order, due process, and the rule of law within the party structure.
The PDP has remained embroiled in internal leadership disputes following disagreements over its national convention, caretaker arrangements, and recognition of key officers ahead of the 2027 general elections.
