The South-South Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Emmanuel Ogidi, has insisted that the expulsion of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose, and other party members remains valid and irreversible.
Ogidi made this assertion on Wednesday during an interview with journalists, dismissing claims that the expulsions had been overturned as mere “noise” and misinformation.
“Nigerians know the truth. They are only making noise. Wike, Fayose, Samuel Anyanwu, and others have been expelled, and that decision stands,” the PDP chieftain said.
At its national convention held in November in Ibadan, Oyo State, the PDP expelled Wike, Fayose, former Senate Minority Leader Samuel Anyanwu, and eight other members over alleged anti-party activities.
The party said the affected individuals had engaged in actions inconsistent with its collective interests and subsequently issued certificates of expulsion to formalize the decision.
However, the crisis deepened when a faction of the party loyal to Wike announced the expulsion of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and other leaders who supported the initial disciplinary action, further entrenching divisions within the party.
‘I Am Still in the PDP’ — Wike
Despite the expulsion, Wike has maintained that he remains a bona fide member of the PDP.
“I am still in the PDP. Those of us who have remained will continue to work together,” Wike said while reacting to the defection of some PDP lawmakers in the Rivers State House of Assembly to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He urged the party leadership to resolve its internal disputes, warning that continued disunity would weaken its opposition role.
“I told the party to put its house in order. If you don’t, it is the party that will lose at the end of the day. We still believe the PDP can be a strong opposition, but some people chose a different path,” he added.
Wike’s rift with the PDP dates back to 2022, when he publicly demanded that the party zone its presidential ticket to the South.
After former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, from the North-East, emerged as the PDP’s presidential candidate for the 2023 general election, Wike openly backed the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the polls, a move widely viewed as a major act of defiance against the party.
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