Politics
BREAKING NEWS: FCT Minister, Wike Challenges PDP Rival Faction to Open Official Party Bank Account, secretariat
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has challenged a rival faction within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prove its claim to leadership by opening an official party bank account and secretariat.
Wike issued the challenge on Wednesday during a live media chat with journalists in Abuja, accusing some party leaders of misleading Nigerians and ignoring court rulings in the ongoing crisis.
“You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians. If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them open an official PDP account and tell party members to pay nomination fees into it,” he said.
The former Rivers State governor specifically called out Tanimu Turaki and others in the opposing camp to back their claims with action.
“Let Turaki, as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, open an account for the PDP. Let them announce it publicly for members who want to contest elections. That day, you will see what will happen,” Wike added.
He argued that no financial institution would recognise such an account because, according to him, the faction lacks the legal backing and required party documents.
“That bank will be in trouble because to open such an account, you must provide the party’s authentic documents and recognised leadership. Who has those documents?” he queried.
Wike also warned against any attempt to establish what he described as illegal party offices in the capital city, stressing that he would not allow any action that could disrupt peace.
“If anybody goes ahead to open an illegal office in the name of the PDP in Abuja, I will seal it. I will not allow any breach of peace because my duty is to maintain law and order in the Federal Capital Territory,” he said.
The minister maintained that court judgments had already resolved the leadership dispute and accused some actors of twisting the rulings for political convenience.
“People should stop deceiving Nigerians. The judgments are clear. You cannot ignore court decisions and begin to create parallel structures,” he said.
He also dismissed claims that a Supreme Court ruling favoured the rival faction, insisting that available legal decisions support the recognised leadership of the party.
According to him, attempts to reinterpret the rulings outside their proper context are meant to confuse party members and the public.
Wike said he remains a committed member of the PDP and is only defending what he described as constitutional order within the party.
Breaking News
Breaking News: Senate Condemns Attacks on Nigerians, Seeks Guarantees From South Africa
The Senate has warned that Nigeria may review its diplomatic relationship with South Africa if renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians continue.
The warning followed a motion moved by Senator Asuquo Ekpeyong over an alleged June 30, 2026, ultimatum issued to Nigerians living in South Africa.
Lawmakers described the development as a serious threat to the safety and livelihoods of Nigerians in the country.
During Tuesday’s plenary, senators condemned the reported attacks on Nigerians and their businesses and urged the Federal Government to seek firm guarantees from the South African authorities for the protection of Nigerian citizens.
Senator Salihu Mustapha called for a stronger response, saying Nigeria should no longer remain silent while its citizens were being attacked.
“We cannot continue to fold our arms while Nigerians are being killed and their businesses looted.”
He added: “This is the starting point for a very robust engagement. I suggest we sever all diplomatic relations with South Africa.”
However, former Senate Leader Yahaya Abdullahi advised against taking immediate drastic action. He argued that the attacks could be linked to efforts to destabilise South Africa’s government rather than being isolated incidents.
According to him, “this is a coordinated effort to destabilise the government of South Africa and to remove the ruling party, the ANC, from office.”
He also urged Nigeria to “tread with great caution” while considering the situation.
After deliberations, the Senate directed the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa, to obtain written assurances from the South African government on the safety of Nigerians. It also demanded the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the attacks.
Lawmakers further instructed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the Nigerian High Commission to document all cases involving Nigerians who were killed, injured, displaced, unlawfully detained or whose properties were destroyed, with the aim of seeking compensation.
The Senate also called on the Federal Government to work with the African Union and other affected African countries to establish an early warning system and accountability mechanism to prevent future xenophobic attacks.
In addition, the Senate directed its Committees on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Affairs to review the implementation of its earlier resolutions on xenophobic attacks and report back within two legislative weeks.
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