The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expelled the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose; and the party’s former national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
The decision was made at the party’s national convention taking place in Ibadan, Oyo State.
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The motion for their expulsion was moved by Chief Olabode George, a former National Vice Chairman (South), and it was supported by Samaila Burga, the PDP Chairman in Bauchi State.
The group loyal to Wike had earlier gone to court to stop the convention. However, the party got a favourable judgement from an Oyo State High Court, which allowed the event to continue.
A few days before the convention, Mao Ohuabunwa, chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Wike-led faction, said that anyone travelling to Ibadan for the convention was only going there to relax because the gathering would not be legally recognised.
Mocking the other faction, he said the event was nothing more than a “jamboree.”
According to Ohuabunwa, Anyanwu had already issued a circular announcing that the convention had been postponed.
He said: “We have met as the national working committee of the PDP and reviewed our activities. We have agreed to obey all the court decisions on the Ibadan convention. So, we are not part of the exercise. Ibadan is a public place; people can go there for anything but not for a convention. Anyone going there in the name of a convention should consider it a jamboree. We won’t tolerate flagrant abuse of the constitution by some individuals in the name of a convention.”
The faction’s acting national chairman, Abdulrahman Muhammad, also told delegates to stay away from the convention and wait for the right time.
He said the faction would continue to mobilize members across all 36 states and the FCT to strengthen the party.
Muhammad stated: “We are concerned with moving the PDP forward. Therefore, all delegates across the country should stay away from the Ibadan convention.”
Wike, speaking on his part, thanked party members for standing firm in their various states.
He said his group would always respect the rule of law and would not give in to pressure.
Wike added that he would never disappoint those who believe in the party’s constitution.
His words: “I am happy with your concern about the party in your respective areas. I will continue to support you people; I won’t betray you people.”