Wike, Atiku camps wrestle for control as PDP holds crucial NEC meeting, Thursday

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced Thursday, April 18 for its 98th National Executive Council meeting.

The NEC will have contending power blocs representing the camps of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, clashing with those of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. The two camps have been battling for control of the party after the 2023 election.

So far, Wike’s camp appears to have the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum and the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu on their side.

Insiders say pro-Atiku delegates in the NEC meeting will be pushing for the dissolution of the current National Working Committee (NEC) to rid the party of Wike’s loyalists who have been in control of the NWC.

Wike also faces the challenge of retaining control of the party’s structure of Rivers State. His successor, Siminalayi Fubura is set for a major showdown with him on the list of caretaker committee recently approved for the party by the Damagum led-NWC which sources say are loyal to Wike.

But Wike’s camp, sensing that the constitutionally recognized delegates from Rivers at the Thursday NEC meeting would be heavily against their principal, have already moved to secure a court order restricting some of them from attending the meeting.

As observed by a PDP chieftain loyal to Atiku, who also was one of the spokespersons of the party in the 2023 presidential campaign council, Umar Sani, Wike surreptitiously obtained a court order to stop some of the party gladiators from Rivers who may overwhelm him during the NEC meeting.

He said in a post on his X handle, “Notable injunctions and judgments that were surreptitiously obtained include that of Prince Uche Secondus on both respects while he was Chairman and now the one barring him from attending the scheduled NEC meeting for the 18th of April 2024 and that of Austin Opara.”