Umar Sani: Wike’s Threat To Instigate Crisis in PDP States an Empty Boast

Umar Sani, former senior special adviser on media and publicity to former Vice President Namadi Sambo, has criticised the claims of political disruption attributed to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The FCT Minister Nyesom Wike had earlier threatened to instigate crisis in any state whose governor interferes with the politics of Rivers State.

Sani in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, dismissed the claims as “empty boasts,” asserting that Wike, as a minister, lacks the authority and means to instigate crisis in other states.

He argued that Wike’s assertions of potential disruption are unfounded, highlighting that only the Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic, who possesses the requisite instruments of power, could execute such actions.

“There is no way for anybody to say he can cause crisis in any state unless he is saying I will use the instrument of the federal government to cause crisis. By being merely, a minister of the federal capital territory cannot go and cause crisis in other states, because he is not the commander-in-chief, he does not have the instrument of causing crisis and I don’t know what type of crisis he means. Whatever crisis he means, i think it’s an empty boast. He cannot do anything and I urge the national working committee to tow the path of the governors’ forum to do the right thing in Rivers State because we cannot afford at the time that we are looking for ways and means to clinch the presidency to now be in disarray.”

Sani commended the PDP Governors’ Forum for taking a decisive stand, noting that their involvement marks a departure from previous indecision and factionalism within the party. According to him, the governors’ forum has taken crucial steps to address internal issues and correct anomalies within the party’s structure.

The former SSA also underscored the importance of adhering to the PDP constitution, which designates state governors as the leaders of the party within their respective states. He warned against any attempts to undermine this leadership structure, which he believes could lead to further disarray and potential losses for the party.

He further stressed that the party cannot afford to lose Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara to rival political parties due to internal disagreements.

“The introduction of Wike’s shenanigans into the party is because at least for the first time, the PDP governors’ forum has now taken the bull by the horn to now speak the truth. Previously, the governor’s forum was neither here nor there. So, they left the party at the whims of the two factions. Now that they have decided to weigh in, definitely, they will correct all the anomalies that are inherent because with the constitution of the PDP, it is very clear who is the leader of the party in a particular state; the governor of the party in any state, is the leader of the party.

“We cannot afford to lose Sim Fubara to another political party because if he feels he is not in charge and that he cannot run the affairs of the party in his own state, naturally, he will look for an avenue where he can actively do so and that will be catastrophic for the party. So, I welcome the decision of the PDP forum in Jalingo and I align with their thinking that they have to do the right thing and I think that Bwala Mohammed is now providing the needed leadership that the party requires.”

The current state of the PDP, as described by Sani, is marked by confusion and factionalism, exacerbated by the absence of a permanent national chairman. The party is currently led by an acting national chairman, creating a power vacuum and contributing to its instability. This situation he said has led to a split within the party, with one faction backing the continuation of the acting chairman, while another faction, led by former Vice President and presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, advocates for the election of a substantive chairman.

“The state of the PDP at the moment is that it is a party that is mumbling and fumbling because we do not have a stable leadership. Our leadership is not complete. We don’t have a national chairman; we only have an acting national chairman. All other positions are intact but the acting national chairman is the one now running the shots and now the party is unstable because it is divided into factions. While some people want the national chairman to continue, which is the Wike faction, the other faction, led by the former vice president and presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, they want a substantive chairman to emerge. So, these has placed has placed our party in a very precarious situation where the battle for the soul of the party is very loud and clear.”

Chioma Kalu