A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, has alleged that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is exerting influence over the emergence of governorship candidates in both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress in Rivers State.
George described the development as alarming and without precedent, warning that it could deepen the crisis within the party and destabilise the broader political landscape if left unchecked.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Wednesday, the PDP stalwart expressed concern over the lingering internal disputes within the party, noting that the situation had taken an unusual turn.
He criticised members of Wike’s camp for allegedly disregarding party rules and judicial directives aimed at resolving the crisis.
George recalled that the Court of Appeal in Ibadan had earlier advised aggrieved factions to convene and settle their differences internally, but lamented that the directive was ignored.
He added that the matter eventually progressed to the Supreme Court, which upheld the suspension of three members of the party’s National Working Committee.
The PDP leader questioned why the affected individuals had refused to accept the apex court’s decision, stressing that adherence to the rule of law was fundamental to democratic practice.
He said, “No individual is above the law. There are laid-down procedures in every political party, and failure to abide by them undermines the system.”
George further alleged that Wike, despite identifying with the PDP, was playing roles across party lines in Rivers State.
“A man who says he’s a member of our party has nominated somebody to be the governorship candidate for APC in Rivers, and is also nominating somebody to be PDP governorship candidate. What kind of thing is this? I have never seen anything like this,” he said.
He warned that such actions, if not checked, could trigger wider political instability, drawing parallels with historical crises in Nigeria’s political evolution.
George called on relevant authorities to intervene, insisting that discipline and adherence to due process remain critical to preserving the integrity of the nation’s democratic institutions.
