Why PDP Hasn’t Sanctioned Wike, Ex-presidential Aspirant Explains

A former presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 election, Oliver Diana, has explained why the leadership of the party has not imposed any sanction on the immediate past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, for alleged anti-party activities.

Diana who spoke to the Sunday PUNCH said that contrary to insinuations that the PDP feared taking punitive action against the former governor; the PDP, she said, had chosen to walk the path of peace, aware of the challenges and battles ahead.

Diana stated that the PDP’s capacity to instil discipline was not in doubt, adding that building the party to reposition it for the challenges of political leadership was more important than sanctioning an erring member.

She said, “The party is not finding it difficult to sanction Wike, but it has only chosen to take the path of peace. We are not interested in additional hurdles or to ignite more fire. A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja recently said the PDP had the power to sanction him (Wike) in line with due process.

“The party has the capacity to wield the axe against anyone, but it is looking at the bigger picture, the path of peace.”

But a PDP National Executive Committee member, Timothy Osadolor, challenged Wike to honourably resign his membership of the party, adding that the leadership of the party had done the needful by ignoring him.

Osadolor stated, “It is now clear that the former Rivers State governor is everywhere begging for a job. If you saw his interview with BBC Pidgin Service, you will know that the man is gone and confused.

“He was asked a simple question if he would take an appointment from Tinubu. He replied that he would ask his wife and close associates and added that he was not too big to serve Nigeria. Is that not an affirmation that he will accept the offer if it comes?”

Also, a political associate of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, Sixtus Omokhagbor, noted that Wike’s attitude in the past few months had given him away as a man who should no longer be seen as a member of the party.