Apologise over your remarks on FCT Minister within 48 hours, PDP Faction gives APC Scribe
The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Ajibola Basiru, national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), demanding a public apology over comments they said were disrespectful and politically damaging.
Basiru had on Monday urged Wike to resign his position and concentrate on what he described as the minister’s “obsession” with Rivers State politics — a remark that followed Wike’s warning that the APC chieftain should steer clear of the state’s affairs.
In a statement issued Tuesday and signed by Etim Isong, factional South-South Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, the group condemned what it called a “personal attack” on Wike, saying the remarks were unnecessary and capable of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 elections.
The faction questioned Basiru’s political judgment, noting that he “failed to deliver a governor” for the APC in Osun State in 2023, yet now seeks to challenge Wike’s relevance in Rivers politics. It further dismissed Basiru’s claim that Wike’s support for President Tinubu was no different from that of other non-APC politicians, calling the view “politically naïve.”
The statement added that calling for Wike’s resignation painted Basiru as hostile to Tinubu’s government and “unfit” to serve as APC national secretary, accusing him of attempting to sow division in Rivers politics.
Insisting on a public apology to Wike and the people of Rivers State within 48 hours, the group warned that failure to comply could see Basiru declared persona non grata in the state.
Describing Wike as a national PDP leader whose influence in Rivers remains decisive, the faction noted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara benefited from the political structure built by the former governor. It argued that the APC cannot dismiss Wike’s impact on electoral outcomes, including the 2023 polls.
“In politics, ingratitude is an offence — and biting the finger that prepares your meal is even more unforgivable,” the statement concluded
