Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, says Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains a formidable political force in the country and not a charity organisation.

Wike made the remarks at the 105th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party in Abuja on Monday night.

While warning members against viewing PDP as a charity organisation, he urged them to return to the grassroots and rebuild the party from the ward and polling unit levels.

“Forget the idea that PDP is a charity organisation. PDP remains a formidable political force despite its current challenges.

“PDP is too strong, very strong. We must capitalise on what we have and move forward,” he stated.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister spoke extensively on the party’s internal challenges, the ongoing legal disputes and the way forward for rebuilding it ahead of future elections.

He stressed that his concerns were solely focused on the survival, stability and success of the party nationwide.

Wike declared his keen interest in all activities of the Oyo chapter of the party, as part of efforts towards ensuring its survival and success.

While appreciating the calls for peace by the Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Working Committee (NWC), Wike urged party leaders and members to remain vigilant, noting the ongoing attempts to destabilise PDP.

He cautioned that adversaries would not relent until the party was finished, but expressed confidence that such efforts would fail.

“They will not give up until they believe you are destroyed, but I will not be destroyed; you will not be destroyed. Let us move forward,” he said.

The minister expressed confidence that any attempt by those he described as “vampires” to take over the affairs of the party across the 36 states of the federation, including FCT, would fail.

He further urged PDP to rely on experience and internal capacity, noting the presence of competent legal and organising officers within the party, capable of navigating the current challenges.

“We have a competent legal adviser. We have a competent national organising secretary. Experience matters. When we combine our collective experience, the results will speak for themselves,” he said.

Wike thanked NEC members for attending the meeting at short notice and urged them to remain committed to strengthening the party as Nigeria’s leading opposition platform.

He said that the party was now waiting for the caretaker committee to issue clear directives, particularly on the conduct of the overdue congresses, which he described as “critical steps” towards organising a credible national convention.

(NAN)

The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scheduled its National Convention for March 28 and 29, 2026, in Abuja.

This decision was reached during the party’s 105th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on February 2, 2026, which was held at the official residence of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

The convention aims to elect a new National Working Committee (NWC) and other statutory organs to stabilize the party following prolonged leadership disputes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the communique was read by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Haruna Mohammed, at the end of the meeting, held at the official residence of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in Abuja.

In the communique, signed by Mohammed and the National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the party also slated ward and local government congresses for February and State congresses for March.

It said that the party’s NEC had directed the NCC, in collaboration with the National Organising Secretary and relevant organs of the party, to issue detailed guidelines, notices and modalities for the conduct of the congresses.

The communique added that the committee had further been directed to act strictly in compliance with the PDP constitution, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regulations, and judicial directives.

The party’s NEC also unanimously reconfirmed, ratified and reaffirmed the full content, validity, force and effect of all resolutions and decisions reached at the 104th emergency NEC meeting held on Dec. 7, 2025.

“That all actions taken, pursuant to the 104th NEC resolutions remain binding, lawful and operative, having been taken in strict compliance with the PDP Constitution (as amended), the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act, and relevant judicial pronouncements,” the communique stated.

The party’s NEC also welcomed and affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Ibadan which upheld the legality of the party’s leadership and administrative arrangements and directed INEC to recognise the duly-constituted caretaker committee.

The NEC equally resolved that all party organs, members and stakeholders would continue to act strictly in obedience to subsisting court judgments and judicial directives.

The committee, therefore, urged INEC and all relevant institutions to fully comply with the said judgment in the interest of democracy and constitutional order.

It further reaffirmed the legitimacy, authority and mandate of the Mohammed-led committee, with Anyanwu as Secretary.

The party stressed that NCC remained the only lawful national administrative organ of the party, fully empowered to act as the National Working Committee (NWC), pending the conduct of the national convention.

The NEC equally affirmed the extension of the tenure of the National Caretaker Working Committee (NCWC) and other affected caretaker committees of the state and zonal chapters, pending the conduct of the national convention, state and zonal congresses respectively.

The committee further mandated the NCC to immediately activate Convention Sub-Committees and begin full logistics, administrative and consultative preparations to ensure a transparent, inclusive and credible convention.

It equally urged stakeholders, supporters and members of PDP across the country and in the diaspora to remain steadfast, law-abiding and committed to the ideals of the party.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have officially shelved their planned mass protest in Abuja and directed all Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) employees to resume work immediately.

The decision was reached following a meeting between the unions, Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the senate committee on FCT.

The meeting commenced on Monday night and ended in the early hours of Tuesday.

In a statement released after the meeting, the unions said complaints of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC) were fully addressed during the meeting.

The unions said it was agreed that all cases in the national industrial court pertaining to the dispute should be withdrawn.

“The honourable Minister assured Organised Labour of mutual respect and sustained engagement going forward,” the statement reads.

“It was agreed that, arising from the strike action, no worker shall be victimised in any manner.

“All outstanding cases at the National Industrial Court (NIC) shall be withdrawn immediately.

“Consequently, all JUAC members and all affiliates of the TUC and NLC working in the Ministry of the FCT (MFCT) are hereby directed to resume work immediately.

“All affiliates are enjoined to comply strictly with this directive in the interest of industrial peace and harmony in good faith.”

The statement was jointly signed by Nuru Toro, TUC secretary-general, and Benson Upah, acting NLC general secretary.

On Monday, a national industrial court in Abuja restrained NLC and TUC from embarking on the protest scheduled for Tuesday, February 3.

Emmanuel Subilim, the presiding judge, gave the ruling following an ex parte application filed by Wike and the FCTA.