The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has issued a stern warning to financial institutions and property owners in Abuja, vowing severe consequences for any bank that opens an account for, or any landlord that provides accommodation to, the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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Speaking during a tense media parley with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike declared that any bank that allows the rival faction to open an account for the sale of nomination forms would be “in trouble,” and went further to threaten that he would seal off any property used as a parallel PDP headquarters within the FCT.
“That bank will be in trouble,” Wike said emphatically. “And today, I tell you, that bank will be in trouble. Because for you to open an account, you must have the certificate of incorporation. Who has it? The secretary of the party. Let me say it again, the bank that will go and open an account for them will be in trouble.”
The FCT minister doubled down on his stance, daring the faction’s alleged leader, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, to test the system.
“Let Turaki, as a senior advocate, open an account in the name of PDP. That day, that silk will move. Let him, I dare him, open an account and tell Nigerians, tell party people, ‘this is the account where you pay money for PDP.’ Let him try it,” Wike said.
The minister’s warning extended beyond financial institutions to landlords and property owners, who he warned would face repercussions for aiding what he described as illegality.
“To any house that allows them to defraud, you know the judgment, you know what is on ground, and I see it, I will take that house. I will seal it off. It is gone. I will never allow any breach of peace,” he stated.
When questioned about his earlier position following a Supreme Court judgment, where he reportedly said there were no factions in the PDP, Wike defended his remarks, describing himself as a responsible party person, while accusing members of the rival faction of acting outside the law.
“No, you can’t stop people who want to be criminals. The only way you can stop them is by applying the law,” he said.
Pressed further on his use of strong language, including referring to some actors as criminals and 419, Wike stood his ground, citing legal precedents.
“I’m telling you here, what removed Senator Wabara from office? It’s not because of the $50 million appropriation, but because of antecedents. He went to court. See the court judgment,” Wike argued.
He continued: “Why am I saying you are a criminal? You went to court. The judgment is against you. You have gone on appeal, but you have not waited for the appeal. You now come to say, ‘Oh, the Supreme Court said there is no more this thing, now the BOT has taken over.’ I mean, is it not fraud? You are going to sell forms? That is duping Nigerians.”
Addressing claims that the PDP no longer exists or is deeply fractured, Wike rejected such assertions, describing them as media-driven narratives.
“I take exception. That is a strong word to say PDP does not exist. It is a strong word. It does not exist in the eyes of some media stations,” he said.
He insisted that the party remains active, pointing to ongoing political activities across states.
“People have bought forms. In my state, we are contesting governorship, senatorial, House of Assembly. You wish to go and see those who have picked up forms. When you say it does not exist, it depends on what you are looking for,” he added.
On the question of party leadership, Wike dismissed references to Senator Wabara, stating bluntly that Wabara is no longer in the party. He instead identified AbdulRahman Mohammed as the current chairman leading the National Working Committee (NWC).
“AbdulRahman is the chairman of the party. He is leading the NWC. I am here to help and support them,” Wike said.
The PDP has remained embroiled in internal leadership disputes following disagreements over the party’s convention, caretaker arrangements and recognition of key national officers ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party has been split into factions since 2023, after the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate, with one camp backed by Wike and another backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde. At its 2025 convention in Ibadan, the Makinde-led faction elected a new National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki, SAN, while the Wike-backed camp appointed Abdulrahman Mohammed as national chairman.
Reiterating his commitment to enforcing order in Abuja, Wike warned against any actions that could destabilise the peace.
“People should not do something you know you are defrauding Nigerians. PDP has nothing to do with me in that regard. Anybody who knows me knows I’m not coming here for anything,” he said. “I am here to maintain peace. You cannot breach it. You must obey the law.”
In a separate but related development, Wike challenged the Turaki-led faction to formally open an official party bank account and secretariat if they truly believe they control the opposition party’s structure, accusing some party leaders of misleading Nigerians and violating court judgments.
“You cannot continue to deceive Nigerians. If they are sure they are the authentic leadership of the PDP, let them open an official PDP account and tell party members to pay nomination fees into it,” Wike said. “That bank will be in trouble because to open such an account, you must provide the party’s authentic documents and recognised leadership. Who has those documents?”
Wike maintained that court judgments had already settled the dispute over the PDP leadership and convention issues, accusing some actors of twisting judicial pronouncements for political convenience.
“People should stop deceiving Nigerians. The judgments are clear. You cannot ignore court decisions and begin to create parallel structures,” he added.
The minister also dismissed claims that the Supreme Court ruling favoured the rival faction, insisting that the legal processes and decisions available supported his position and that of the recognised party leadership, noting that attempts to reinterpret the judgments outside the established legal context were aimed at confusing party members and the public.
Wike also reacted to reports that a federal lawmaker, Okey Chinda, had obtained forms to contest the Rivers State governorship election under the PDP. The minister neither confirmed nor denied the reports about Chinda’s alleged ambition but maintained that the PDP in Rivers State will participate in the upcoming election.
Responding to Dax George-Kelly, who is also said to have obtained a governorship nomination form under the All Progressives Congress (APC), Wike said George-Kelly is a member of the Rainbow Coalition in Rivers State, adding that the coalition will collectively decide which candidate to support when the time comes.
The FCT minister also took a swipe at Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, accusing him of neglecting governance while aggressively pursuing his second-term agenda when he is yet to submit a budget to the Rivers State House of Assembly.
“The governor is yet to submit his budget to the House of Assembly but he is busy running for second term ambition,” Wike said, warning that the delay in budget presentation could hamper the smooth running of government activities and the delivery of essential services to the people of Rivers State.
The minister equally defended the FCT Administration’s intervention at Jabi Lake, a popular recreation park in Abuja, ordering a crackdown on substandard developments around the park.
His remarks came in response to an appeal by the Senior Pastor of Family Worship Centre, Abuja, Sarah Omakwu, who pleaded with him not to allocate the Jabi Lake recreation area for private development. In a video shared on her Instagram page, Omakwu was seen kneeling on the pulpit while addressing the minister.
“I cannot fight the minister of the FCT. I cannot. But I go on my knees as a mother in this land that Jabi Lake Recreation Centre should not be given to anybody,” she had said.
Responding during his monthly press briefing in Abuja, Wike said he was not swayed by emotional appeals.
“I’m human in this government and you don’t expect everybody to be happy, if majority are happy, then I’m happy. Some people don’t understand what’s going on, you should ask questions,” Wike said.
“You talk about the woman kneeling down and begging, I’m not carried away by such emotions, begging to do what? Who owns Jabi Lake? How does it become your own? First of all, I came on board that place was given to a company that said they want to turn it to an entertainment place but they have turned it into shanties.”
“One of these days I went there and said this can’t be, there is a hotel and who would come to stay in that hotel when there are shanties all over. You don’t know if there are criminals.”
The minister stated that the allocation had been revoked and would be reassigned to investors with the capacity to develop the site, adding that strict conditions would guide the new arrangement.
“You cannot allocate land and leave it for that long with nothing to show. We revoked it. Now we want to give it to people who are ready to develop it,” Wike said. “We will reallocate the land with clear conditions. If there is no development within the specified time, we will take it back.”
“To the woman who was crying, if she likes, let her call God to come down. What is my business? How does Jabi become hers? Is it an individual or government property? We are trying to make sure investors develop this land for the interest of all of us.”
Wike noted that several plots around the lake, initially allocated for high-end developments, had remained undeveloped for over a decade and had since deteriorated into makeshift settlements. He confirmed that the FCT Administration had begun revoking such allocations, signalling a tougher stance against land speculation in the capital city.
“You must sign to develop within a given period. If you fail, the land returns to government. It is as simple as that,” he added.
The minister, however, rejected suggestions that the exercise is intended to restrict public access to the lake, clarifying that the focus is on reclaiming misused or abandoned land.
“We are not taking anything from the public. We are reclaiming land from those who failed to do what they were supposed to do or who converted it to unauthorised uses,” he said, while also decrying the distortion of approved land use, citing instances where recreational spaces were converted without authorisation.
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