Wike to Makinde, Turaki: Setting up another structure is 419, you can’t disobey court order

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on factions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), being led by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, Taminu Turaki, and others, accusing them of fraud and deliberate disregard for court rulings in the lingering leadership crisis.

Speaking during a media chat with journalists in Abuja, Wike dismissed claims of an interim leadership arrangement in the PDP, describing such moves as illegal and deceptive.

“When will people stop being fraudulent? You cannot disobey court judgments and then turn around to deceive Nigerians that you have a legitimate structure. That is not how democracy works,” he said.

The minister insisted that only a court-recognised leadership can validly run the affairs of the party, warning that any parallel structure amounts to illegality.

“You don’t form a leadership in your bedroom and call it a national structure. Let them open an office anywhere and call it PDP secretariat I dare them. That is how you know what is real and what is not,” Wike stated.

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Wike said ongoing attempts to constitute what he described as an “illegal caretaker arrangement” were efforts to mislead party members and the public, stressing that the judiciary had already provided clarity on the matter.

“The court has made it clear who should run the affairs of the party pending a lawful convention. You cannot ignore that and start setting up another structure. That is fraud 419,” he added.

Wike further criticised what he termed the erosion of integrity among some political actors, including senior lawyers and party leaders, accusing them of undermining institutions for personal gain.

“People you expect to uphold the law are the ones trying to bend it. That is the tragedy of our system,” Wike aid.