Former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State has vowed to stay away from all meetings of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) until Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is expelled alongside “other impostors”.
He said this why responding to inquiries on his absence from the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the opposition, which held, on Tuesday, in Abuja.
It was reported that owing to the crisis rocking the main opposition party, it could not hold any NEC meeting within a year.
The meeting, held at the party’s presidential campaign office—Legacy House in Maitama—was relocated from the PDP national secretariat in Wuse Zone 5, which was sealed on Monday by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The last NEC meeting was held on April 18, 2024. Since then, repeated efforts to reconvene the party’s highest decision-making body had been frustrated by internal divisions and leadership wrangling.
It reportedly took intense pressure from party leaders and PDP governors to ensure Tuesday’s meeting held, following a controversial statement by the embattled National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, announcing a postponement.
Tuesday’s meeting was attended by several PDP governors, party officials, members of the Board of Trustees (BoT), former governors, and National Assembly leaders. These included Governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, Agbu Kefas of Taraba, Peter Mbah of Enugu, Ademola Adeleke of Osun, Douye Diri of Bayelsa, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara.
Also in attendance were acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, Deputy National Chairman Taofeek Arapaja, Acting National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo, National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba, BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, BoT Secretary Senator Ahmed Makarfi, and former governors Babangida Aliyu, Bukola Saraki, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Samuel Ortom and Ibrahim Shekarau.
Other key figures included Suleiman Kadade, Umar Bature, Josephine Anenih, Ben Obi, Jerry Gana, Bode George, Barrister Tanimu Turaki, Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, and the leader of the PDP Caucus in the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda.
The NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the PDP, comprising state governors, serving and former presidents, former vice-presidents, the chairman and secretary of the board of trustees (BoT), principal officers of the national assembly, all state chairpersons, members of the national working committee (NWC), former governors, and founding members, among others.
Speaking on his absence, Lamido described Wike’s continued presence in the PDP as a threat to the party’s peace and stability.
“Wike is a disaster. He is a product of the PDP, made relevant by the party, nurtured and celebrated by the party. But today, he turns around to destroy it.”
“I cannot sit in the same meeting with impostors. Until the party removes these people, I will not attend PDP meetings. I am still a loyal member, but I won’t dignify this rot.”
Lamido faulted the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) for failing to expel Wike.
“What exactly is the NWC afraid of?” he asked. Why hasn’t Wike been expelled? Why is Samuel Ortom still on the board of trustees after publicly endorsing Tinubu? These are fundamental breaches. If this party is to survive, it must cleanse itself.”