•Govs Fintiri, Mutfwang kick
•Govs Adeleke, Kefas stay away from convention
By Adeola Badru, Omeiza Ajayi & Luminous Jannamike
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was embroiled in a drama yesterday as the faction loyal to its embattled National Chairman, Umar Damagun, expelled the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, the National Secretary, Sen Samuel Anyanwu, the former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, and other party bigwigs.
This was one of the highlights of the party’s ongoing National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.
The motion for their expulsion, which was unanimously supported by PDP members, was moved by one of the party’s founding fathers, Chief Bode George, and seconded by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
Others expelled are the party’s National Legal Adviser, Adeyemi Ajibade, SAN, Umar Bature, AbdulRahman Mohammed, Mao Ohuabunwa, George Turner, Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Ammah and Dan Orbih.
Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State and his Plateau State counterpart, both of whom were in attendance at the convention, immediately disso-ciated themselves from the decision.
Angry delegates destroy posters
This happened as angry delegates at the convention showed their displeasure by pulling down posters bearing the images of governors who were absent.
Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun) and Agbu Kefas (Taraba) were conspicuously absent at the convention being held at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.
The party, which has been mired in crisis, vowed to carry on with the exercise despite two court judgements against it.
The Umar Damagum-led party proceeded with the convention relying on a judgement of an Oyo State High Court.
As the exercise kicked off, the governors in attendance were Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Caleb Muftwang Plateau, Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and the host, Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
Also in attendance were prominent party elders and leaders, including former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and former Governors Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), and Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano).
It’s Detty December in November – Wike’s aide
Pooh-poohing the expulsion of Wike and others, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister FCT, Lere Olayinka, dismissed it as a product of social gathering that lacks legitimacy.
Olayinka told Sunday Vanguard that those behind the move lacked seriousness, alleging that their actions were influenced more by revelry than by any legitimate party process.
According to him, the individuals involved had travelled to Ibadan “to start Detty December in November,” insisting that their pronouncements should not be taken seriously.
“When people decide to start their own Detty December in November, one can’t but ignore whatever comes out of their mouths,” he stated.
The aide further claimed that the group merely “gathered in Ibadan to do a social party, enjoy themselves and get intoxicated,” suggesting that their alleged expulsion of Wike and others amounted to nothing more than drunken chatter.
Olayinka said the faction was simply “free to say anything,” stressing that its declaration had no legitimacy within the PDP.
Damagum, Mohammed, Makinde, others receive flags
Meanwhile, before the exercise kicked off, leaders of the party received the flags of the party, the Nigerian National Flag, and the National Convention Flag, among others.
National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Ilya Damagum, received the flag of the PDP, while Futiri, who is the Chairman of the National Convention, received the National Convention Flag.
Bala Mohammed, who is the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, received the Nigerian Flag, with the host governor, Seyi Makinde, receiving the Oyo State Flag.
Other leaders who received flags at the event were the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, who received the flag of the Senate and Hon. Fred Agbedi, who received the House of Representatives Flag.
The convention began with the accreditation of no fewer than 3,000 delegates, who had converged in Ibadan.
The accreditation process for delegates from across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, preparatory to the voting exercise, started in the afternoon.
Ibadan had been agog since Friday as party faithful from across the country berthed in the political capital of the South-West.
Earlier, Makinde, on Friday, hosted a dinner for delegates
Illegal convention cannot expel me — Imo PDP chair
For his part,Imo State PDP Chairman, Hon. Austine Nwachukwu, pushed back forcefully against his purported expulsion from the party, insisting that the event that allegedly removed him never legally existed and therefore had no authority to take action against him.
He argued that two valid Federal High Court judgements had stopped the PDP from holding any national convention until unresolved state congresses were completed, making the entire exercise fundamentally unlawful.
Speaking in a interview with Sunday Vanguard, Nwachukwu, a frontline figure in the Nyesom Wike-aligned faction of the PDP, expressed disbelief that journalists would take the convention seriously despite being fully aware of the court rulings restraining the party.
When asked whether he intended to challenge the purported expulsion in court, Nwachukwu dismissed the idea entirely, insisting that there was no basis to dignify an unlawful action with legal attention.
“I will be stupid to start telling you I will go and challenge them in court when I know that the two Federal High Court judgements say don’t do convention,” he said.
He also faulted the organisers for relying on a state high court exparte order to justify an action already barred by a federal high courts.
“A State High Court does not have power to query a Federal High Court. It’s only the Appeal Courts that can do that,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, Adamawa State governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, and his Plateau State counterpart, Caleb Muftwang, have distanced themselves from the suspension of Wike and others.
Fintiri, who was present at the convention, issued a statement on his X page, distancing himself from the expulsion of the FCT minister.
In the statement, the governor said he could not align with a move that may worsen the party’s internal tensions.
Fintiri said he prefers solutions that strengthen the PDP rather than actions that risk plunging it into deeper conflict.
“I, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State, wish to categorically state that I dissociate myself from the position of expelling the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Wike, from PDP,” the post reads.
“I believe that this decision is not in the best interest of the party, and I will not be party to any attempt that could further plunge the PDP into unending crisis.
“As a faithful party member, my position is clear: I stand for the peace and stability of the PDP, and I will not support anything that could lead to its disintegration. I believe that peace and reconciliation are the only ways forward for our great party.
“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.
“Let me reiterate that my position is guided by the desire for peace and reconciliation, and I will continue to work towards achieving this goal.”
Also, Muftwang distanced himself from the motion seeking the expulsion of Wike; Fayose; Anyanwu; and other senior members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
In a statement issued on Saturday night by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere, Governor Mutfwang clarified that the subject was neither discussed at the PDP Governors’ Forum nor at the National Executive Committee, NEC, before it was presented, and stressed that the proposal does not reflect his position.
Describing the move as ill-timed, the governor noted that expelling prominent members at this delicate moment would be counterproductive to efforts aimed at stabilising the Party, and warned that such actions could further widen internal rifts and jeopardise the PDP’s ongoing process of rebuilding.
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Source: PDP quakes in Ibadan as Makinde, Bala Mohammed, Bode George, others expel Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, allies
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