Mr Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has expressed optimism that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would survive its current adversity.
Wike stated this when he hosted the party’s stakeholders under the aegis of “Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP” from the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, in Abuja on Monday.
Some of the stakeholders included former Gov. Ifeanyi Uguanyi of Enugu, former Gov. Samuel Ortom of Benue and former Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia.
Also at the meeting were the National Secretary of the PDP, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu and former Senate Minority Leader, Sen. Philip Aduda.
Former federal and state lawmakers and some zonal and state party executives among others equally attended the meeting.
The minister, while addressing the stakeholders emphasised that the PDP should not be allowed to die, describing the concerned stakeholders as those who believe in the survival of the party.
“All of you here are those who are committed to the survival of our party, not just talking on television or in the newspapers, but committed to the party at various levels,” he said.
He argued that the activities of the G5 Governors had stabilised the country, stressing the need to respect the constitutions of the party and Nigeria.
“You may like us, you may hate us; the truth of the matter is if G5 did not take the decision we took, this country would have been in crisis.
“It doesn’t matter who the beneficiary was, but the right thing had to be done, and we still stand by that decision.
“We have continued to emphasise that the party’s constitution and that of the country should be respected.
“If the party had listened to what we said, we wouldn’t have been where we are today,” he said.
Wike stressed that as an opposition party, members of the PDP should not continue to act with impunity, adding that no opposition party acts with impunity.
“Ours is to continue to pacify people and bring them together and desist from saying that they should go to hell.
“Let us not allow greed; let us not allow ego to kill out party,” he advised
On his part, Ortom noted that he who pays the piper dictates the tune and challenged anyone in Nigeria to tell Nigerians who has contributed to the growth of the PDP more than Wike.
He said that President Bola Tinubu understands that the country should not be a one-party state, which was why he appointed Wike as the FCT minister.
“For whatever reason, PDP made a lot of mistakes and that is why we are where we are today”, he said.
