FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for calling for the resignation of the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
Recall that Anyanwu emerged as the PDP governorship candidate for the November 11 election in Imo state.
After he was elected the PDP candidate in April, some members of the party called for the resignation of Anyanwu as the national secretary.
But in a statement on Friday, the national leadership of PDP said Anyanwu remains the party’s national secretary and governorship candidate in Imo.
However, in a letter dated October 12, addressed to the acting PDP National Chairman, Iliya Damagun, the BoT said it is against the provisions of the party’s constitution for Anyanwu to occupy two positions.
Reacting to the development in a letter to the BoT acting Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Wike said the party organ does not have the authority to declare who can occupy the office of the national secretary.
He said the BoT was unable to intervene in the crises that engulfed the party in the run-up to the 2023 General Elections when some chieftains of the party blatantly violated the Constitution of the Party.
Wike also expressed dismay that the former senate president referred to Emeka Ihedioha as “former governor of Imo state” in his letter to the PDP acting Chairman.
“Your Excellency, permit me to observe with respect that the Board of Trustees (BOT) lack the moral authority to intervene on the issue of who occupies or should occupy the Office of the National Secretary of the Party,” Wike wrote in his response to Wabara seen by TheCable.
“This is more so as the BOT was unable to use its good offices as the conscience of the Party to intervene in the crises that engulfed the Party in the run-up to the 2023 General Elections when Officers of the party blatantly violated the Constitution of the Party.
“Secondly, the Ag. Chairman of the BOT is reminded that the issue of who occupies the position of National Secretary of the Party is beyond the BOT’s sphere of authority and influence.
“Indeed, if and when a vacancy occurs, the responsibility of deciding who and how the vacancy will be filled is that of the entire Southern States to which the position was zoned and not only the South East geopolitical, as your letter under reference appears to be suggesting.”
Wike said it was wrong for the BoT to refer to Ihedioha as the former governor of Imo state because the Supreme Court had nullified his election.
He added: “By the Supreme Court’s pronouncement, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, was never elected Governor of Imo State and ought not to have been so copied.
“To do otherwise will amount to dressing him in borrowed robes, which will not do him and the Party any good.”
