Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Abdullahi, has strongly criticised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, over what he described as repeated misinterpretation of court rulings in the ongoing leadership crisis within the party.
Abdullahi also alleged that Wike has never appeared in a courtroom since being called to the bar, a claim he used to question the minister’s understanding of legal judgments and constitutional matters.
He made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television, while reacting to Wike’s recent comments on the PDP leadership dispute. Wike had maintained that a Supreme Court judgment validated the Abdulrahman-led faction of the party, while also challenging the rival Turaki group to open offices or sell nomination forms in Abuja.
Responding, Abdullahi dismissed Wike’s interpretation of the ruling, insisting that the Turaki-led faction remains active, organised, and fully operational despite the internal disputes.
According to him, the faction has already commenced political activities, including the sale of nomination forms for various elective positions. He disclosed that he personally obtained a governorship nomination form in Kebbi State just a day earlier, adding that other aspirants were also actively purchasing forms across different levels of the party structure.
Abdullahi further explained that the faction is currently operating from a temporary secretariat after avoiding the main Wadata office, which he said was due to security concerns linked to a Federal High Court ruling. He claimed the ruling had effectively allowed Wike’s faction to maintain control of the premises.
He also dared Wike to attempt taking over their current office location if he believes he has the legal authority to do so, stressing that the faction remains functional and committed despite the ongoing tensions.
The PDP chieftain warned that Wike’s conduct reflects what he described as disregard for legal processes, cautioning that such behaviour could pose risks to Nigeria’s democratic stability if left unchecked. He further argued that the Supreme Court judgment was being misinterpreted, insisting that it upheld the suspension of officials aligned with Wike while nullifying the Ibadan convention.
In his words, Abdullahi stated: “These individuals have clearly chosen not to respect the law… I’m not surprised, he has never been to the courtroom for once since becoming a lawyer.”
