"Wike Allegedly Taking Orders from Tinubu to Undermine PDP, Claims Udenta"

Table of Contents

• Accusations Against the President and Institutions
• External Engineering of PDP Crisis
• Wike's Role in PDP
• Criticism of INEC
• Police Involvement in PDP

Political strategist and founding National Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy, Prof. Udenta Udenta, has accused President Bola Tinubu, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Nigeria Police of attempting to destabilize the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

During an interview with Arise News on Thursday, Udenta claimed that the actions of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, at the PDP National Secretariat were conducted “on the orders of the President.”

He stated that the turmoil within the PDP was no longer an internal matter but rather “externally engineered,” asserting that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was intentionally undermining the opposition.

According to him, Wike's political maneuvers within the PDP were not independent but part of a larger strategy orchestrated by the Presidency.

“Wike is not an autonomous administrative or political force. He is a dependent force,” Udenta remarked.

“Wike went to Wadata Plaza on behalf of the President because it was the President who was at Wadata Plaza — not Wike. If Wike holds a press briefing, it is essentially the President holding the briefing.”

Udenta characterized Wike’s involvement as a “deliberate institutional choice” by the Presidency to meddle in the internal affairs of the PDP.

He acknowledged that the PDP, like any large political organization, faces typical internal disputes but contended that the crisis had been intensified by external interference.

“As we strive to rebuild the party and enhance the brand, the Presidency and the APC are working to undermine the party,” he remarked, noting that the APC perceives the PDP as its most formidable national competitor.

The political analyst also criticized INEC, accusing the commission of being ambiguous and selective in its actions concerning the PDP’s leadership struggle.

“INEC has a mandate to be clear and unequivocal. In Ekiti, INEC’s actions indicated it did not recognize Abdurrahman as acting chairman, yet it later accepted Damagun. Did INEC acknowledge the suspension of four NWC members? INEC has not provided clarity,” he stated.

He alleged that INEC selectively obeyed court orders, claiming the commission followed directives that aligned with its preferred outcomes.

Udenta also condemned the police for facilitating what he deemed a factional takeover of the PDP Secretariat.

He noted that despite previous complaints by the new PDP chairman, Tanimu Turaki SAN’s son, the police permitted the Anyanwu faction access to the secretariat in the early hours of the morning.