Former National Auditor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Barrister Ray Nnaji, has criticized the party’s prolonged tolerance of Nyesom Wike, the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). According to Nnaji, the PDP allowed Wike to operate without accountability for too long, contributing to the party’s internal crisis.
In an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, Nnaji expressed his frustration over the party’s handling of Wike, stating that no genuine PDP member would support the events that have unfolded within the party. Nnaji’s comments come in the wake of escalating tensions between Wike and the PDP leadership, with the minister throwing public challenges to party leaders.
Wike, in a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, dared any PDP governor or leader to label him a mole, adding that he would “set fire” to any PDP state and that he has no apologies for his actions. He firmly declared that “heaven will not fall” regardless of the repercussions, underscoring his defiance.
This bold challenge highlights Wike’s increasingly strained relationship with his former party, as speculation grows that his political alignment may now be with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Nnaji believes this ongoing conflict represents a broader struggle for control of Rivers State’s political future as the 2027 elections approach.
“It’s the soul of Rivers State they are pursuing for the purposes of 2027,” Nnaji said. He explained that Wike, as a former governor of the state, wielded considerable influence to aid the APC’s rise to power and was rewarded with the ministerial role. Nnaji added that Wike attempted to transfer the political structure he built in Rivers State into the APC, but this move led to chaos within the state’s political system.
According to Nnaji, Wike’s maneuvering in Rivers State—along with the defection of 25 State House of Assembly members loyal to him—contributed to the turmoil in the state. This led to court cases as APC members, feeling sidelined by Wike’s influence, contested the restructuring of the party’s leadership in the state.
The former National Auditor also lamented the PDP’s failure to address leadership gaps promptly, specifically pointing to the party’s delay in replacing its former National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu. Nnaji insisted that the absence of decisive action left a leadership vacuum, exacerbating the party’s internal divisions and allowing Wike to exploit the situation.
“The party wasted time in replacing Ayu,” Nnaji stated. “When a vacancy exists, the constitution is clear on what to do, but the party didn’t follow its own guidelines. The crisis within the party cannot be blamed on the acting chairman alone; it’s a failure of the entire party structure.”
Nnaji explained that Ayu, who hailed from Nigeria’s North Central region, was succeeded by Umar Damagun in an acting capacity, but the delay in solidifying the leadership structure allowed uncertainty to fester. He criticized the party’s leadership for not adhering to the constitutional processes designed to fill such vacancies, further deepening the ongoing crisis.
Reflecting on the future of the PDP, Nnaji expressed doubt about the party’s ability to recover from these internal struggles. He emphasized that the PDP’s lack of strong leadership and inability to enforce discipline among its members has made it vulnerable to challenges from within and outside the party. He also warned that unless the party takes urgent steps to restore unity and transparency, it risks further erosion of its influence, especially as it heads toward future elections.
