…Wike warns banks against recognising rival PDP faction, vows to seal “illegal” offices in Abuja
By Abu Adamu
The Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has openly challenged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, insisting that its bank accounts are operational, nomination forms for the 2027 elections are already on sale, and that there is “nothing” the former Rivers governor can do to stop the process.
The development marks a fresh escalation in the lingering leadership crisis rocking the opposition party, with both camps trading accusations over legitimacy, control of party structures, and compliance with court judgments.
In a strongly worded statement issued by its Interim National Working Committee and signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the Turaki faction dismissed Wike’s recent media chat in Abuja as an exhibition of “political rascality” and “post-loss trauma.”
The faction accused the FCT minister of using a “funded media convergence” to attack party leaders and prominent Nigerians, describing the outing as “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
According to the statement, the PDP had already commenced preparations for the 2027 general elections, including the sale of nomination forms, conduct of primaries, and plans for a national convention.
“The sale of forms is ongoing, and there is nothing Wike can do about it,” the statement declared, adding that the minister had failed in his alleged vow to “hold down” the party for his political allies.
The faction also directly responded to Wike’s threat against financial institutions that may recognise or operate accounts for the rival PDP structure, insisting that the party’s accounts were already functional.
“His delusional boast of dealing with banks that will open accounts for us is delusional, as he is already aware that we are operating accounts of the party,” the statement said.
It further alleged that some members of Wike’s camp were themselves receiving party-related funds through private accounts.
The group maintained that Wike was constitutionally incapable of emerging as any form of “national leader” within the PDP, insisting that no such office exists in the party’s constitution.
“We sympathise with Wike for the pain concomitant with the realisation that he will not and can never be the National Leader of our party,” the statement added.
The Turaki faction also challenged individuals allegedly defamed during the minister’s media appearance to seek legal redress, stressing that nobody should be above the law.
The rebuttal came hours after Wike, during a live media chat with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, dared the rival camp to publicly demonstrate its claim to the PDP structure by opening an official bank account in the party’s name.
“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,” Wike said.
The minister specifically challenged Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), to test the legality of the faction’s claims.
“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,” he stated.
Wike argued that no commercial bank would recognise such an account because the rival faction allegedly lacked the legally recognised leadership and documentation required to operate the party’s finances.
“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.
The FCT minister also warned against any attempt to establish parallel party offices in Abuja, vowing that such offices would be sealed if they threatened public order.
“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,” Wike said.
He maintained that existing court judgments had already resolved the PDP leadership dispute and accused rival actors of deliberately twisting judicial pronouncements for political convenience.
“People should stop deceiving Nigerians. The judgments are clear. You cannot ignore court decisions and begin to create parallel structures,” he added.
Wike also dismissed claims that recent Supreme Court decisions favoured the Turaki camp, insisting that the legal processes and available judgments supported the faction he described as the recognised leadership of the party.
But the Turaki-led faction insisted that no amount of intimidation or threats would derail its activities or suppress what it described as the truth.
“There is no amount of threats that will frighten the truth,” the statement said, adding that while “lies travel faster than the truth,” they would ultimately fail to diminish “the efficacy of the truth when it arrives.”