Politics
Defection Threat: Wike Wants PDP To Discipline Shaibu, Edo Deputy Gov
By GWG Political Editor
Governor Nyesom Wike has petitioned the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP asking for a disciplinary committee to be constituted against the deputy governor of Edo State, Comrade Philips Shaibu over his threat of defecting from the party.
Governor Wike made the assertion as he challenged Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State to return the mandate he obtained through the PDP.
Governor Wike made the demand at the inauguration of the Eastern Bypass Road in Port Harcourt on Saturday.
He said it was rather unfortunate that instead of seeking appeal to the judgment of the court that had sacked him, Governor Umahi made a reckless statement attacking the judge.
Governor Wike spoke following the assertion by Comrade Shaibu last weekend when he alleged that there were alternatives to the PDP if the party structures were not dissolved to accommodate those who defected with him to the party from the All Progressives Congress, APC before the 2020 election in the state.
Responding to the threat, Governor Wike said he has written to national chairman of the party and given reasons why a disciplinary committee needs to be set up against the deputy governor, who lost his ward in the last election.
“This is the thing I am talking about impunity. I was watching when a deputy governor was ranting in the media, threatening the party that there is an alternative to PDP.
“This is the same deputy governor who knelt down to beg for us to give them umbrella. Today, he has the effrontery to threaten PDP,” Wike said of the utterances of the Edo Deputy governor, Comrade Shaibu last weekend.
Addressing Governor Umahi, Wike said:
“Look at a governor making a reckless statement simply because a judge made a judgement according to his own opinion, which you are entitled to appeal up to Supreme Court.
“You have called somebody a thief in the market and you’re saying I’m sorry, it is late. That your sorry, we the members of the public, we don’t take it.
Governor Wike said this was the first in Nigeria’s political history that defection of a governor to another party was being contested in court.
He opined that the decision of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to challenge the defection of the governor and others elected on its platform should be seen as a clear example of what is required to strengthen democracy.
Governor Wike pointed out that it is members of the PDP who took Governor Umahi to court to demand the mandate of the party from him.
“If our party has done this earlier when people were leaving in the National Assembly, we won’t have had the problem we are having today.
“That is one of the problems of party leadership. People cannot come out and take the bull by the horns. So, Governor Umahi, be rest assured that PDP will continue this matter down to Supreme Court. We will continue with the matter.”
He said it is no longer acceptable that someone will win an election and defect with the victory to another party for fear of escaping visitation of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC).
“You carry the votes of another party and join another party. Can you transfer votes? You work hard for somebody to win election and tomorrow , the person say I have defected.
“If you have defected, leave the seat if you know it’s easy. And this will checkmate most of these political harlots who will never sit one place.”
Governor Wike also berated the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for abdicating their agreement of contributing 50 percent of the cost of the construction of the Eastern Bypass Road that leads to its corporate headquarters office in Port Harcourt.
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