The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Wednesday asserted that Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, does not have the authority to instruct National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu to resume duties at the party’s National Secretariat.
Wike said Anyanwu is not Damagum’s appointee, hence the acting PDP national chairman cannot direct him to resume his duties.
The minister spoke during the commissioning of the newly constructed interchange bridge of Arterial Road N20 (Wole Soyinka Way) over Outer Northern Expressway (Murtala Mohammed Expressway).
Wike said: “I watched on national television and heard when the Acting National Chairman of PDP was directing the National Secretary to resume.
“The National Secretary is not your appointee, he has been doing his work, so you can’t call him to resume because of the illegalities you perpetrate.
“You didn’t show leadership that is why you put yourself where you are. It’s nobody’s making because the National Secretary has been working and will continue to work, he doesn’t require anybody to direct him to resume his work.”
The minister also faulted the recent visit of PDP leaders including Damagum to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
He noted that Damagum’s ignorance and that of PDP leaders is not an excuse.
“If because of your ignorance of the law – too bad- the law does not recognize your ignorance. That you are ignorant of the law is not an excuse.
“I feel so bad when people can now move to INEC to direct them to obey Supreme Court judgment, it’s most unfortunate.
“A political party will now go and ask from INEC what should we do and INEC will direct them to obey Supreme Court judgment.
“You see, when you shoot yourself; you say it’s somebody that shot you. Continue to shoot yourself, I will not be a party to those that will shoot themselves.
“When you don’t know something, ask the right person – don’t because of ego, don’t because of monthly allocation, money does not solve all problems. If you want to learn come and meet us, we will teach you how to go about it.”
