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We Won’t Sanction Wike, Makinde, Other Aggrieved Govs – PDP NEC
There are indications that the Peoples Democratic Party will not take punitive measures against five of its governors for their recent utterances against the leadership of the party.
Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) and Seyi Makinde of Oyo states have been consistent in their call for the removal of the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu. They hinged their demand on the need for an equitable distribution of the party’s elective offices in line with the PDP constitution.
The PUNCH reports that they specifically noted that since a Northerner, Atiku Abubakar, emerged as the party’s presidential candidate, Ayu (also from the North) should bow out to give room for a Southerner to replace him.
In their determination to press home their demand, the five governors resigned their membership of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council in September and have since openly championed positions considered inimical to the party’s electoral fortunes in 2023.
Meanwhile, these recent events, among others, have led to calls for the governors to be sanctioned to instil some elements of discipline among party members.
However, a former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the party, Chief Bode George, stated that caution must remain the watchword as the party intensifies moves to pacify the aggrieved governors and their allies ahead of the 2023 polls.
He told The PUNCH exclusively, “As an elder, we will continue to appeal to Ayu to put on his thinking cap. Atiku should remain a nationalist because he wants to govern Nigeria.
“Even if the party wants to do so (sanction them), the time is not now. As an elder of the party, if Atiku remains completely adamant that he will not listen and Ayu is blowing tantrums all over the place, whatever anybody wants to do, they will do it. These governors are not pawns on the chessboard, and Atiku should know this.
“Atiku can’t be talking about the constitution of the party now. Could he have emerged as a presidential candidate if we had not set aside our constitution? What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,” he said.
The PDP elder statesman further maintained that “Even if Atiku wins today, he has already planted discord in the minds of the people. Atiku met with these governors and told them he would bring the chairmanship to the South. If he is playing games with these governors, they are also ready to play games with him. He (Atiku) is thinking that he is already in the Aso Rock Villa.
“People are lying to Atiku, telling him he would win without these governors but he doesn’t know how angry our people (South-West) are. The whole North will vote for him and let’s see how he will get 25 per cent of the South-West’s votes,” he stressed.
Also speaking, Deputy National Youth Leader of the party, Timothy Osadolor, told The PUNCH, “The party in its wisdom has decided to tolerate them. Wike is trying to damage the ticket of Atiku Abubakar so that in 2023 he will position himself for the 2027 elections. If Wike damages Atiku’s ticket, won’t he need the support of Northerners to run in 2027? Wike is putting himself on the wrong side of history and those clapping for him do not know that he is using them for his advantage.”
Also, a member of the PDP National Executive Committee and former National Secretary, Ibrahim Tsauri said Wike and his colleagues “are taking undue advantage of the powers they have,” adding however that the party must continue to explore the path of reconciliation.
According to Tsauri, “The party cannot implement any sanction now because the PDP is a truly national party that is interested in progress, not divisions.”
Taking a different position is a member of the PDP National Working Committee, NWC, who does not want his name in print, was quoted as saying, “Atiku wants Ayu to remain, so what do you want me to say? If the presidential candidate thinks he can win without the support of these governors, good luck to him. Ayu is there with his mouth running, threatening everybody. We wish them the best of luck.”
The Punch
President Bola Tinubu has held a private meeting with suspended Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara in London, as part of efforts to resolve the political crisis rocking the oil-rich state, according to The Africa Report.
The paper reported that the meeting took place last week following Tinubu’s departure from Paris, and that the talks were initiated at Fubara’s request, amid his growing efforts to regain his position following his suspension and the imposition of a state of emergency in Rivers State.
During the meeting, Fubara reportedly pledged to make certain concessions in a bid to ease tensions. A senior presidential adviser, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that negotiations are still ongoing but suggested that Fubara’s suspension is likely to be lifted before the six-month period elapses.
Another aide to the president indicated that Fubara is considering joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that could improve his standing with the presidency and enhance Tinubu’s political influence in the state. “If Fubara joins the APC, the president’s chances of winning Rivers State will increase significantly,” the aide noted.
Notably absent from the London talks was former Rivers Governor and current FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who is reportedly uneasy about being sidelined in the reconciliation process. However, President Tinubu is expected to facilitate a broader meeting involving Fubara, Wike, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly to find a lasting resolution to the impasse.
Pope Francis has died, the Vatican has announced in a video statement.
The first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, died at the age of 88 at 7:35 am (0535 GMT) on Monday, said Cardinal Kevin Farrell in a statement published by the Vatican on its Telegram channel.
Francis had suffered various ailments in his 12 year papacy, with severe complications in recent weeks after a bout of double pneumonia for which he spent five weeks in hospital.
His death comes one day after a brief appearance before thousands of Catholic pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square for the Vatican’s open-air Easter Sunday mass.
Source: Aljazeera
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) says that Nigeria faces significant uncertainty in its economic outlook despite wide-ranging reforms.
It, however, noted that the gains are yet to benefit all Nigerians with poverty and food insecurity remaining high.
Concluding its 2025 Article IV Consultations with Nigeria’s public policy executives during the week, IMF’s team, led by Axel Schimmelpfennig, its mission chief for Nigeria, acknowledged that Nigeria has taken important steps to stabilize the economy, enhance resilience, and support growth.
The IMF team had met with Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Yemi Cardoso, senior government and central bank officials, the Ministry of Environment, the private sector, academia, labour unions, and civil society.
Although the IMF representatives said these reforms have put Nigeria in a better position to navigate the external environment, the macroeconomic outlook remains marked by significant uncertainty.
They said that the elevated global risk sentiment and lower oil prices would impact the Nigerian economy.
They, therefore, recommended that macroeconomic policies need to further strengthen buffers and resilience, reduce inflation, and support private sector-led growth.
The final report of the consultations stated: “The Nigerian authorities have taken important steps to stabilize the economy, enhance resilience, and support growth.
‘‘The financing of the fiscal deficit by the central bank has ceased, costly fuel subsidies were removed, and the functioning of the foreign exchange market has improved.
‘‘Gains have yet to benefit all Nigerians as poverty and food insecurity remain high.
‘‘The outlook is marked by significant uncertainty. Elevated global risk sentiment and lower oil prices impact the Nigerian economy.
‘‘The reforms since 2023 have put the Nigerian economy in a better position to navigate this external environment. ‘‘Looking ahead, macroeconomic policies need to further strengthen buffers and resilience, while creating enabling conditions for private sector-led growth.
“The authorities communicated to the mission that they will implement the 2025 budget in a manner that is responsive to the decline in international oil prices. A neutral fiscal stance would support monetary policy to bring down inflation.
‘‘To safeguard key spending priorities, it is imperative that fiscal savings from the fuel subsidy removal are channeled to the budget.
‘‘In particular, adjustments should protect critical, growth-enhancing investment, while accelerating and broadening the delivery of cash transfers under the World Bank-supported program to provide relief to those experiencing food insecurity.
“A tight monetary policy stance is required to firmly guide inflation down. The Monetary Policy Committee’s data-dependent approach has served Nigeria well and will help navigate elevated macroeconomic uncertainty.
‘‘Announcing a disinflation path to serve as an intermediate target can help anchor inflation expectations.”
