APC stakeholders, led by Dr. Umar D. Duhu, a prominent party figure, issued a strongly worded statement demanding that Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike retract recent comments directed at APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, and issue a public apology.
Dr. Duhu’s statement, titled “APC Stakeholders Put Wike on Notice: Retract and Apologize Now,” condemned Wike’s remarks as “uncalled for” and a “clear breach of protocol.”
It emphasized that the APC is not the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where leaders reportedly remain silent amid provocations, and stressed that the party has “zero tolerance” for indiscipline and vulgarism.
”As a serving minister in the APC Government, Wike has a duty to maintain decorum and respect the boundaries of his office,” the statement read.
It reminded Wike that he is not a formal member of the APC and thus has “no privilege to interfere with the party’s internal affairs or those of its members.”
The stakeholders accused Wike of threats and intimidation bordering on abuse of power, putting him “on notice” and demanding an immediate retraction and apology to the APC and Basiru.
Failure to comply, they warned, could trigger actions such as formal complaints to President Bola Tinubu, legal proceedings for defamation and abuse of office, disciplinary measures against him as a minister, and other steps to protect the party’s dignity.
The statement further criticized Wike’s “divisive rhetoric and apparent obsession with Rivers State,” labeling him “more of a liability than an asset” to President Tinubu’s re-election prospects. It urged Wike to resign from his ministerial position and focus on resolving his political issues in Rivers State.
In a notable phrase, the statement referenced Wike’s perceived aggressive stance: “If Wike thinks at this juncture that he is a mad dog, the mad dog too should realize who is feeding him now.” It highlighted that his ministerial role is a “privilege, not a right.”