The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has vowed to sanction the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and others soon for anti-party activity.
Damagum stated this on Tuesday while answering questions from journalists after the PDP held its National Working Committee meeting.
He said the former Rivers State Governor “is not above the party” and he alongside all those who would be found wanting for anti-party activity would be sanctioned accordingly.
Damagum was speaking after the party insisted that the 25 lawmakers of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) must be replaced via another election.
The lawmakers who are loyal to Wike had defected to the APC from the PDP while their political godfather who’s a serving minister has continued to insist he remains a PDP member.
He had instituted a case against the PDP before the general election to stop the party from expelling him.
The case is yet to be determined and Damagum made a veiled reference to that, pointing out that cases in court must be dispensed with first before anything else.
“Our stand about Wike; I have always said this thing that as long as you are a member of the PDP, there is a time for everything. My duty is to stabilise this party and not to cause a crisis. And I will continue to do that within the confines of reason,” Damagum stated.
He explained that, “When things go out of hand, we will act. But meanwhile, we still see it within the ambit of the law.
“Mind you, we have other litigation going on in this party and we won’t want to plunge our party into another crisis.
“And let me tell you something, it’s not only Wike, there are other people who worked against this party.
“When we get to that level we will sanction everybody. If Wike believes he is above this party, we will be able to show him that he is not above this party,” he added.
Damagum further said the party will act when its 2023 review committee, which has yet to be inaugurated, will present a report and recommend appropriate sanctions against Wike and others for any anti-party activity.
“They are to review what happened in 2023 and come out with a report not only about one person, but every person who has in one way or another engaged in anti-party activity.
“Then after that, we will see what kind of measures to take,” Damagum said.
