The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has clarified why former Rivers State governor and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has not been sanctioned despite allegations of anti-party activities.
Speaking in Abuja, the party’s Deputy National Legal Adviser, Barrister Okechukwu Osuoha, said no member of the PDP can be disciplined without a formal petition backed with evidence. He stressed that mere allegations, without documentation and testimony, are not enough to trigger disciplinary measures.
Osuoha explained that at a recent meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), the party set up a disciplinary committee chaired by Chief Tom Ikimi, with Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Eyitayo Jegede, serving as secretary. The committee was tasked with investigating and handling cases of misconduct or anti-party activities by members, regardless of their political standing.
“People often ask me why the PDP has not taken action against the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike. The truth is that it is not enough to say someone has committed an offence. A formal petition must be submitted to the disciplinary committee, and the petitioner must be willing to testify and present evidence when the accused is invited,” Osuoha explained.
He further noted that the challenge of pursuing disciplinary cases to conclusion is not peculiar to the PDP but reflects a broader problem within Nigeria’s governance system. According to him, identifying anomalies is easy, but the difficulty lies in following through with due process until justice is achieved.
For now, Wike remains untouched by party sanctions as no official petition has been filed against him, despite widespread criticism and calls from some party members for disciplinary action.
