PDP crisis: Ibadan convention spokesperson asks Tinubu to call Wike to order

The Publicity Secretary elected at the Ibadan national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ini Ememobong Essien, has urged President Bola Tinubu to call the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to order following Tuesday’s violent clashes between rival factions of the party in Abuja.

Essien, who addressed journalists after police officers fired tear gas around the PDP national secretariat, said the actions of the security operatives endangered governors, party officials, and members of the press.

He alleged that despite a prior meeting between the PDP National Chairman and the FCT Commissioner of Police on Monday—where security concerns were clearly communicated—the police still allowed expelled party members into the secretariat while blocking governors and recognised national officers.

“You have been tear-gassed. All of us know the truth. Today, some governors have been tear-gassed, for what reason?” Essien asked.

“Yesterday, the chairman of our party was in a meeting with the Commissioner of Police, and we clearly stated the issues. But this morning, they aided and abetted the entry of people who had been expelled from the party and then prevented the original owners of the party from coming in.”

He narrated that the police initially granted access to those he described as “expelled members”, while denying entry to the national chairman and governors aligned with the leadership elected in Ibadan.

According to Essien, the situation escalated when a man was escorted into the premises by the same officers who had earlier blocked legitimate party leaders.

“The true situation is that the police came in. We went in and met people who, immediately they saw that the owners of the party had come, excused themselves. The press was addressed by the national chairman, and we sat there.

“While we were about to leave, and we had postponed the meeting we were supposed to hold on the basis of security, someone was escorted in. The same people who stopped us from coming in, who stopped two governors and the national chairman from coming in, were escorting someone. And so we remained here,” he said.

Essien insisted the police compromised their neutrality and accused Wike of influencing the security response, calling on President Tinubu to intervene to prevent further breakdown of law and order within the party.