The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the inauguration of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caretaker committee by supporters of Kabiru Turaki, describing the move as fraudulent.
Wike cautioned Nigerians against what he called a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and create confusion within the party. He insisted that there is only one legitimate PDP, with its recognised national secretariat located at Wadata House, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
He maintained that the caretaker committee set up by Turaki and his loyalists was an attempt to deceive the public, stressing that there is no leadership vacuum within the party as being claimed.
Wike also argued that the Supreme Court’s ruling did not create any gap in the party’s leadership structure, warning that any attempt by the Turaki-led group to sell nomination forms amounts to fraud.
“You have refused to tell the public what is on ground, and you are coming out to say ‘we are setting up a caretaker committee’, how? And you are deceiving people that you want to sell form.
“I dare them, let me see an office you will name PDP national secretariat. If you say you are a party, go and put a sign ‘PDP national secretariat’ just as we are occupying Wadata, that is where everybody knows as PDP national secretariat.
“If you are saying that you want to sell form, to whom? You will submit it where? Is that not fraud? You went to court, we didn’t go to court, and the court gave judgement against you.
“You have not set aside that judgement and you are now coming to deceive people by setting up a caretaker committee, and begin to sell forms. Is that not fraud? What is 419?” Wike said.
He further stated that the recent PDP convention held at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, and observed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, remains the only valid convention that produced the party’s current national leadership.
Meanwhile, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, led by Adolphus Wabara, had earlier announced a 13-member interim National Working Committee.
Wabara said the decision followed the Supreme Court judgement, which, according to the group, nullified the Ibadan Convention and created a leadership vacuum within the party.
The interim committee is headed by Turaki and was constituted during a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held by the faction at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
Key figures present at the meeting included Seyi Makinde, Babangida Muazu, Jerry Gana, Tanimu Turaki, and Zainab Maina, among others.
The faction also maintained that the Abuja convention which produced the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Working Committee is null and void.
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