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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) has thrown its weight behind the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, urging him to remain focused and steadfast despite the political controversies surrounding his continued role within the opposition party.
The BoT made the declaration on Tuesday when a delegation of its members visited Wike at his Abuja residence to condole with him over the death of the PDP National Vice Chairman (South South), Dan Orbih.
The delegation, led by BoT Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, said Wike had remained consistent in his positions on the party and deserved the support of its members.
Ohuabunwa said the delegation’s visit had a dual purpose: to sympathise with Wike over Orbih’s death and to reassure the minister that the party’s BoT remained proud of his contributions.
“These are select few members of the Board of Trustees of the People’s Democratic Party of Nigeria. You know that the BoT has over 100 members, but because of the shortness of the time, we had to pick those that are within the FCT vicinity,” Ohuabunwa said.
He said the delegation was also deliberately constituted to reflect Nigeria’s geopolitical spread.
According to him, Orbih’s death was “shocking and painful” because the late politician was not only a committed PDP member but also a member of the BoT, National Vice Chairman (South South) and a close associate of Wike.
“He was one of our political generals and close associates of our national leader, the honourable minister,” Ohuabunwa said.
However, beyond the condolence visit, the BoT chairman said the delegation had come to “solidarize” with Wike and encourage him to remain focused.
“We want to tell him to remain focused because everything he’s been saying about the party is nothing but the truth,” he said.
Ohuabunwa recalled that Wike had written to the PDP at all levels before accepting his appointment as FCT minister, saying the party had unanimously approved his decision to serve in the Federal Government.
“And we want to boldly say that as a party and as the conscience of the party and also the compass of this party, we are very, very proud of him,” he said.
“Proud of him as a person, proud of him in performance, proud of his capacity.”
Wike, in response, reiterated his commitment to remaining a member of the PDP and working with other stakeholders to rebuild the party.
The minister also used the occasion to disclose the significant role Orbih played in his emergence as governor of Rivers State in 2015.
According to Wike, Orbih, who was then chairman of the PDP in Edo State, supported him during a crisis within the Rivers PDP.
“God used Dan Orbih to make me a governor,” Wike said.
“He was the Chairman of PDP in Edo State at that time and there was a crisis in Rivers State PDP. He chose to stand by the truth and that’s how I became governor.”
Wike described Orbih’s death as an irreparable loss, saying the late politician had made a significant contribution to his political journey.
“It’s unfortunate that he died and there is nothing any of us can do about it,” he said.
The minister thanked the BoT members for visiting him, adding that Orbih’s death was also a loss to the party leadership.
“Therefore, I thank you all for coming to identify with me. Most importantly, the loss is also your loss because he was part of you,” Wike said.
The minister also restated his position on the 2027 presidential election, saying he would continue to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election while urging PDP members to concentrate on other levels of the elections.
“After supporting President Tinubu in 2023, it will be wrong of me to support another person to face him when he is seeking reelection, and I have made this clear before now,” Wike said.
He, however, maintained that his support for Tinubu should not prevent the PDP from fielding candidates and contesting elections at the state and local levels.
“But that should not prevent the PDP from contesting elections at the subnational levels,” he added.
