The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has dared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to Taminu Turaki to visit the National Secretariat of the party if truly it is in charge.
Wike said this at the 108 PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the faction in Abuja on Monday.
The Minister who is the National leader of his faction of the party, commended the National Working Committee (NWC) under the leadership of Abdulrahman Mohammed for securing the PDP Headquarters for members.
Wike said, “Let us congratulate you that after inauguration, you took steps to make sure that we reclaim our secretariat, which is where we are sitting today. What shows that you are the authentic PDP is because you are holding your meeting at the National Secretariat.”
“If there is any other PDP, let them come to the national Secretariat and hold their own meeting.
“So I want to sincerely thank you for that bold step you took, instead of us hiring hotels and other areas, you made sure that we reclaimed our national Secretariat. I thank you and members of your team.”
He urged members to always remain committed to the party, saying, “whatever happens, we will continue to remain as members of the People’s Democratic Party. I know in life there must be a period of crisis. Nothing, nobody can say that in his family or her family, everything has been going on smoothly. No, sometimes it will be rough. It is the ability for you to withstand those challenges.
“I thank God, we have had our period of crisis. Now we are together to make sure this party moves forward. I want to commend all of you, the leaders for being faithful and committed. In fact, for all the temptation for you to have abandoned your party, you said no, that you continue to be here. I want to thank all of you. That shows people who are loyal, that shows you want to remain a member of this party.
“Just like other speakers have said, now we are together, we must not stop at reconciliation, the more the merrier. So, let us not say that those that have defected, let them go, No. Chairman and your team, make sure you put up a strong committee that will still go ahead and talk to those who have defected and whatever is due to them, they will still have it.”
Wike said most of them may have defected because of uncertainty.
“If I want to run for an election, and I’m not sure who will sign my documents to be presented to INEC. So most people will definitely find where they can get succor. But now, if you go and talk to them, I believe they will have a rethink and continue to support this party.”
On the Supreme Court case, he said, “Let us also assure those of you who have said, that the matter is the court. I believe that our lawyers are doing a great work, and I want to leave it for our lawyers, we are confident that our lawyers have been doing great work. God, who has led on this far, can never abandon us. So if God wanted to abandon us, we wouldn’t have started winning.”