Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, who chaired the National Organising Committee of the convention and his Plateau State counterpart Caleb Mutfwang have rejected the expulsion of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister Nyesom Wike from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Fintiri gave reasons for his actions, Fintiri, while delivering his speech at the convention ground, saying the absence of INEC officials at the event made him to withdraw from the exercise.
“With the absence of INEC and the various litigations for and against this convention, it is not within my prerogative to continue with this exercise. I leave the convention delegates to decide,” Fintiri said.
Fintiri who stated his position in a statement shared on his verified X handle (@AhmaduUmaruFintiri), said Wike’s expulsion was against the interest of the party, warned that it could sink the PDP into an unending crisis.
He advised party members to unite and reconcile aggrieved members.
Nothing that his position was informed by the desire for peace and stability within the party, Fintiri said “I urge all stakeholders to work towards healing the divisions within the party and to strive for unity and cohesion.
“As a party man, I am committed to supporting efforts that promote peace, stability, and progress within the PDP,” he wrote.
Fintiri’s Plateau State counterpart, Mutfwang, said the expulsion was neither discussed at the PDP Governors’ Forum nor at the party’s National Executive Council before it was presented.
He said the proposal did not align with his position on the matter as contained in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Gyang Bere.
According to Mutfwang, expelling party leaders at such a critical time was not a strategic approach to addressing the internal challenges facing the PDP.
Like Fintiri, he too called for unity, dialogue, and collective effort in rebuilding and repositioning the party.
Wike and 10 other high-ranking leaders including a former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose; the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; and Austin Nwachukwu were expelled from the PDP on Saturday in Ibadan during the ongoing two-way convention.
The others are the factional chairman of the party, Mohammed Abdulrahman; Senator Mao Ohuabunwa; Austine Nwachukwu; Abraham Amah; George Turner; and Chief Dan Orbih.
A former National Vice Chairman of the party (South), Chief Olabode George, moved the motion for the expulsion and was by seconded by the Bauchi PDP Chairman, Samaila Burga, before its eventual adoption by the party’s delegates.
