The Makinde faction of the PDP will proceed with its primary elections and national convention. This decision directly challenges Nyesom Wike's push to make the party back President Bola Tinubu instead.
The party made the announcement on Wednesday. INEC has set May 30th as the deadline for all political parties to submit their candidate lists.
Ini Ememobong, spokesperson for the Makinde group, released a statement backing the decision. He described the Tanimu Turaki-led Interim National Management Committee as the party's rightful leadership structure.
Earlier that day, Wike held a press briefing in his capacity as FCT Minister. He threatened to "deal with" any banks that process nomination form fees for the Makinde group.
Ememobong struck back hard. He said the group sympathizes with Wike for realizing he'll never lead the PDP, partly because no such position exists in party documents.
According to him, Wike feels frustrated about the nomination sales already underway. He also expressed anger that the planned convention will produce a credible presidential candidate.
"He promised to 'hold down' the party for his principal," Ememobong noted. "This shows he's failing to deliver on that promise."
Nomination forms are selling right now, the spokesman insisted. No threats from Wike will stop that process, he added.
Ememobong dismissed Wike's bank warnings as hollow talk. He noted that the party operates its own legitimate accounts, while Wike's associates use private accounts to receive funds.
The PDP faction said no amount of intimidation will shake their resolve. Truth will ultimately prevail, they maintained, even if lies spread faster initially.
On recent court rulings, the group took a different stance. They called on Wike to explain what his friends actually sought in their dismissed appeals and what the courts actually ruled.
Ememobong criticized Wike's overall conduct during the media briefing. He described it as rife with "political rascality, moral emptiness, crass opportunism, and post-loss trauma."
Wike funded that media event himself, according to Ememobong. The FCT Minister abandoned decency and attacked prominent Nigerians without justification, he claimed.
That display deserved no response whatsoever, Ememobong argued. Yet he felt compelled to speak on behalf of Nigerians, he explained.
He characterized Wike's behavior as a political swan song. It represents the final struggles of a failing movement, Ememobong suggested.
The Makinde group remains committed to democratic processes within the party. They'll continue with form sales, primary contests, and convention preparations as scheduled.
Sources within the faction say they're undeterred by Wike's threats. They view his actions as desperation from someone losing influence, insiders claim.
