There was confusion during the meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Board of Trustees (BoT) on Thursday in Abuja, following the unexpected appearance of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Wike stormed the meeting while the party’s National Chairman, Uche Secondus, was addressing members, drawing glances from all corners.
Wike is not a member of the BoT and it was not clear whether he was specifically invited for the occasion.
He arrived at the meeting spotting a pair of white short-sleeved kaftan with a red Igbo traditional cap.
He was handed the attendance register to sign as soon as he took his seat.
Wike was speculated to be the mastermind of plots to remove Secondus as the party chairman.
The BoT meeting was expected to address the discontent which led to mass exodus that gripped the party ahead of 2023 general elections.
In attendance are the BoT chairman Walid Jibrin; former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former Foreign Affairs Minister Tom Ikimi, former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations Tanimu Turaki, and ex- Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, among others.
Addressing the meeting, Secondus called for amicable resolution of all grievances that had created divisions in the party, while urging members to shun personal interests.
He said: “Anything contrary to the smooth running of our party towards the remaining three months will not be good enough for our party. Any dislocation will cost an infraction that will result in several unknown issues that we may not be able to come out of.
“After the main state congresses, both the public and our party were looking forward to a smooth and peaceful convention which is coming up in December. Soon, the schedule of events, the timetable and other things shall be presented before the Caucus, BoT, NEC and all organs of our party for action leading to the convention.”
The BoT chairman decried the internal crisis in the party, while calling on members to come together if the party must retake power from the ruling All rights Congress (APC).
“In order to achieve complete success, we must do away with any personal interest and unnecessary in-house fighting aimed at killing the objectives set by the party,” he noted.
