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 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.

An erstwhile president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has urged the Yoruba nation to begin immediate and deliberate preparations for political and economic relevance beyond President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tenure.

The eminent lawyer warned that the region cannot afford complacency while power remains at the centre.

He said the presidency would not remain in the Southwest indefinitely, stressing the need for strategic planning, unity, and purposeful leadership to safeguard the future of Yoruba land.

Olanipekun spoke yesterday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, at a public lecture, titled: “Ondo State: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” at the International Culture and Events Centre (The Dome), as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the creation of Ondo State.

The former NBA president noted that although President Tinubu may serve until 2031, the Southwest must start preparing for political happenings in the region afterwards.

“I’m not just asking us to prepare for post-2031 because President Tinubu will not be there forever. He will be there till 2031. So, we should be prepared for post-2031,” he said.

Olanipekun warned that internal division could weaken the Southwest’s influence in national politics, calling for stronger cohesion among political leaders, traditional rulers and stakeholders.

“We must hold ourselves together; stay united. There should be cohesion, unity, love, respect and thoughtfulness. Otherwise, the way I see it, we may be lost,” he added.

Olanipekun described development in the region as a collective responsibility that requires courage, strategic thinking and sustained engagement beyond partisan interests.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said his administration was focused on strengthening existing institutions and laying foundations for long-term growth rather than creating new structures.

The governor emphasised reforms in key sectors, including health, education, and security.

He promised that the state security outfit, Amotekun Corps, would be further equipped and repositioned ahead of the proposed state policing framework.

“Amotekun has come to stay. We will make it work better, recruit more personnel and equip them. With state policing in view, it will be able to handle sophisticated weapons against bandits and marauders,” he said.

Aiyedatiwa also highlighted his administration’s plans to drive industrialisation, agriculture and the blue economy.

The governor noted that value addition to cocoa production through processing plants would boost the state’s revenue and job creation.

According to him, ongoing projects, such as the coastal highway and a proposed refinery, would transform the state’s economy, improve connectivity with Lagos and attract investments.

“The coastal highway is a game changer. It will drive industry and movement of people. Tourism, hospitality, health and education will naturally grow as development spreads,” the governor said.

He added that the state had adopted five-year and 10-year rolling development plans centred on human capital development, while youths had been engaged through an essay competition to envision Ondo’s future over the next 70 years.

“I won’t be here in 50 years anyway, but we are projecting to the future for the state as the one or the saddle at this time during this 50th year anniversary of the creation of the state. We have seen what the past leaders have done, their contributions, landmark projects, programmes and policies that have been driving the state before I became governor.

“We have to continue to strengthen that because that is a structure that we cannot change but to improve on that, which we call continuous service improvement, which I believe strongly in.

“We continue to strengthen our institutions, for example, you are not starting a new ministry of health, but you can make that one work better. You can’t create a new ministry of education; it’s been there, it’s a structure we can make more functional, to deliver better.”

SOURCE