Wike-aligned PDP faction gives APC secretary 48-hour ultimatum to apologise

By Kunle Sanni –

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ajibola Basiru, demanding a public apology over comments made against the former Rivers State governor.

The demand follows remarks by Basiru on Monday in which he asked Wike to resign his ministerial position and accused him of being overly involved in Rivers State politics. Basiru’s comments came after Wike warned the APC official to refrain from interfering in political affairs in the state.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the Wike-aligned PDP faction, through its South-South Zonal Publicity Secretary, Etim Isong, condemned what it described as a personal attack on the FCT minister. The group said Basiru’s comments were inappropriate and capable of weakening President Bola Tinubu’s administration as political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections begin to take shape.

The faction questioned Basiru’s political standing, noting that he failed to deliver electoral victory for the APC in Osun State during the 2023 governorship election. It described his attempt to downplay Wike’s political influence in Rivers State as misguided.

The group also criticised Basiru’s assertion that Wike’s support for President Tinubu was no different from that of other non-APC supporters, describing the claim as evidence of poor political judgement.

According to the statement, Basiru’s call for Wike’s resignation portrayed him as an adversary of the Tinubu administration rather than a party loyalist. The faction went further to say Basiru was unfit to hold the office of APC National Secretary and urged him to step aside.

It also accused the APC official of attempting to sow division in Rivers State politics, warning that such efforts would not succeed.

The PDP faction demanded that Basiru issue a public apology to Wike and the people of Rivers State within 48 hours, warning that failure to do so could lead to him being declared persona non grata in the state.