Wike-led PDP faction gives APC national secretary 48 hours to apologise

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal toNyesom Wike has asked Ajibola Basiru, national secretary of the AllProgressives Congress (APC), to apologise to the FCT minister within 48 hours. On Monday, Basiru asked Wike to resign his appointment andfocus on what he described as an “obsession” with Rivers state politics. Wike had asked the APC national secretary to stay off Riverspolitics. In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Etim Isong,factional zonal publicity secretary of the PDP South-South, the factioncondemned Basiru’s “personal attack” on Wike. The group said Basiru’s remarks were inappropriate andcapable of undermining the administration of President Bola Tinubu ahead of the2027 election. The statement said it was perplexing that Basiru, who“failed to produce a governor for the APC” in Osun state in 2023, would seek toquestion the political relevance of Wike in Rivers state. The faction said Basiru’s suggestion that Wike’s support forTinubu was no different from that of other non-APC supporters showed“amateurish political judgment”. “To imply that Minister Wike’s support for President Tinubuis no different from that of other non-APC supporters is a clear indicator ofamateurish political judgment,” the statement reads. The group said Basiru’s call for Wike to resign as FCTminister portrayed him as an opponent of the Tinubu administration. “Senator Basiru’s call for the resignation of a performingminister like Nyesom Wike portrays him as an opponent of President Bola AhmedTinubu and an enemy of the Nigerian state,” the statement reads. The PDP faction said Basiru was unfit to occupy the officeof the APC national secretary and called on him to resign. The group also accused Basiru of attempting to deploydivide-and-rule tactics in Rivers state politics, warning that such effortswould fail. The faction said Basiru must issue a public apology to Wikeand the people of Rivers state within 48 hours. “He has 48 hours to issue a full apology to Minister NyesomWike and the people of Rivers state,” the statement added. The faction warned that failure to apologise could result inBasiru being declared persona non grata in Rivers state. The group described Wike as a national leader of the PDPwhose influence in Rivers politics remains decisive. The statement noted that even Siminialayi Fubara recognisesWike as the political leader who built the structure that produced him asgovernor. The faction said the APC could not downplay Wike’s role inRivers politics or his impact on electoral outcomes, including the 2023election. “In politics, ingratitude is an offence, and biting thefinger that prepares your meal is even a more unforgivable offence,” thestatement added.

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