The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagum, said a former Rivers State Governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, is not above the party.

Damagum who stated this while responding to questions at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday hinted that the party leadership will sanction Wike and others who were involved in anti-party activities at the right time.

This is coming on the heels of the admonition by some stakeholders within the PDP asking Damagum to sanction Wike and others for alleged anti-party activities during the just-concluded general elections.

Coincidentally, the Minister of FCT has also been blamed for the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State, a PDP-controlled state.

Damagum said, “Our stand about Wike, I have always said this thing that as long as you are a member of the PDP, there is a time for everything. My duty is to stabilise this party and not to cause crisis. And I will continue to do that within the confines of reason.

When things go out of hand, we will act. But meanwhile, we still see it within the ambit of the law. Mind you, we have other litigation going on in this party and we won’t want to plunge our party into another crisis.

“And let me tell you something, it’s not only Wike, there are other people who worked against this party. When we get to that level we will sanction everybody. If Wike believes he is above this party, we will be able to show him that he is not above this party.”

Damagum, who noted that there was never a time Wike said he is not a member of the PDP, added that the party’s yet-to-be-inaugurated 2023 review committee will present a report and recommend appropriate sanctions against those involved in anti-party activities.

“They are to review what happened in 2023 and come out with a report not only about one person, but every person who has in one way or another engaged in anti-party. Then after that, we will see what kind of measure to take”, he added.

Credit: Punch