By Abiola Olawale
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has lauded the court judgment stopping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from holding its national convention.
This is as Wike asserted that the judgment signals a definitive end to “political impunity” within the party’s ranks.
The Minister emphasized the significance of the judiciary’s decision, positioning it as a necessary check on what he termed an overreach of power by some party leaders.
On Friday, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja stopped the planned 2025 National Convention of the PDP until the party complies with the statutory requirements of the party, the Constitution, and the Electoral Act.
Delivering judgment in a suit filed by three aggrieved members of the party, the judge also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from accepting a report on the outcome of any national convention of the party without following the due process of the law as well as its guidelines and regulations.
Shortly after the verdict, Wike said he was filled with different reactions. He said while the ruling stands as one of the happiest days of his life it is also the saddest because of how unsettled the party is.
He stated: “We are happy that we have fought impunity, while on the other hand, we are not happy with what is going on in the party,” Wike said, while addressing some PDP concerned stakeholders from 12 states of the federation, including the FCT.
“It’s unfortunate that the so-called purported national convention cannot hold, it has never been bad like this in the Peoples Democratic Party.
“The opposition party is supposed to put heads together and follow due process, but if you are not doing that, then you are sending a wrong message.
“The last time we met, we said we are going to challenge any action that contravenes the provisions of the party, and today, by the grace of God, the court has allowed justice to prevail.
“Nobody will be intimidated we will do what is right. What I expect the governors to do now is to use monies in the state to impact the lives of citizens and not to use it to kill our party.”
