THE CABLE
Moves to expel Nyesom Wike, former governor of Rivers state, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by loyalists of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar gathered momentum last weekend, TheCable understands.
A meeting hosted by Atiku, the PDP flagbearer in the disputed 2023 presidential election, and attended by “elders and stakeholders” who are his loyalists discussed the “Wike problem” extensively, sources informed TheCable.
Most of the attendees rooted for Wike’s expulsion, but some feared that it may further divide the PDP and lead to an “ANPP” syndrome.
However, a protracted internal crisis soon divided the party and it was left with just three states by 2007, after which it paled into insignificance before dissolving into the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2013.
Senior party members loyal to Wike are threatening to “fight till the end” — including forming parallel PDP and creating a protracted, ANPP-like crisis — if the former governor is expelled.
MINISTERIAL NOMINATION
The All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), which started as All Peoples Party (APP) in 1999, was the strongest opposition party in the country, controlling nine states between 1999 and 2003.
The PDP situation has been complicated with the nomination of Wike, whom Atiku defeated in party’s presidential primary last year, by President Bola Tinubu for a ministerial position in the APC government.
Wike’s apparent acceptance of the nomination is seen as “the final straw” by the Atiku group, following earlier moves to expel the former governor over “anti-party activities” for openly supporting Tinubu in the presidential election.
