Council boss seeks Wike’s suspension over comments 

The Caretaker Committee (CTC) Chairman of Obio Akpor Local Council of Rivers State, Chijioke Ihunwo, has charged the National Working Committee (NWC) of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to suspend the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, from the party for allegedly inciting crisis. 

Ihunwo alleged the minister’s threat to instigate a crisis in PDP states where their governors are interfering in the affairs of the party in Rivers and in favour of Governor Siminalayi Fubara,

He said the comment was enough to suspend him except “the executives have been bribed and compromised”.  He, however, expressed worry that if the immediate past governor of the state is not tamed for allegedly carrying himself as a god, the PDP situation might worsen the country’s fragile issues. 

Addressing newsmen yesterday, Ihunwo accused the leadership of the PDP of giving the minister the latitude to rubbish the party for his selfish gains. He said: “It is shameful that the leadership of our party has continued to turn a blind eye to the many misdeeds perpetrated by the FCT Minister in advancing his personal political goals.

“All of us are witnesses to the role played by Wike the moment he lost the bid of becoming the Vice Presidential candidate to the 2023 presidential candidate of PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.  I, therefore, asked if the PDP was not aware of this and more, including the selling of our votes to the All Progressives Congress (APC) just to become a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.”

Ihunwo added that Wike brought more pains to the PDP than gain since the 2023 elections. On the just concluded PDP state congresses, Ihunwo described it as an effort in futility, noting a court order stopping the congresses, including the ward and local council congresses held recently.

On his part, the Rivers State Commissioner for Environment, Sydney Gbara, called on security agencies to invite the FCT Minister for questioning, following his provocative comments. 

Gbara, a former Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Rivers State, said such statements were not expected from an elder statesman like the former governor. 
However, a PDP stalwart in Wike’s camp, who does not want to be mentioned, boasted that they are action-driven people, not “talkative without action.