The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Disciplinary Committee has shed light on why it hasn’t summoned certain party chieftains, including Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, to appear before it. According to Chairman Chief Tom Ikimi, the committee’s mandate is limited to addressing petitions formally submitted against party members.¹
Ikimi emphasized that the committee doesn’t act on allegations published in newspapers, but rather relies on official petitions. This means that unless a formal complaint is filed, the committee won’t take action, regardless of when the alleged infractions occurred.
This clarification comes amid calls for disciplinary action against Wike and others over their role in the 2023 presidential election. Wike faced criticism for leading the G5 governors who worked against PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
In related news, the committee was set to hear petitions against former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom and National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu. However, both individuals failed to appear, citing health challenges and non-receipt of petitions, respectively. Despite having evidence that the petitions were served, the committee has decided to defer the hearing to March 4 to ensure a fair hearing.
“We believe all will be well, and the committee is going to be fair to everyone,” Ikimi assured.