FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and PDP logo
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is attempting to frustrate its planned presidential candidate ratification convention scheduled to hold in Abuja on Saturday.
In a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the party claimed that the management of A Class Event Centre, Wuse 2, informed it of an alleged threat by the FCT Minister to shut down the facility if it hosted the PDP event.
According to the party, the convention is intended to ratify the presidential candidature of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The PDP said it had fulfilled all contractual obligations regarding the venue and had also notified relevant security agencies ahead of the gathering.
“We have been informed by the proprietors of A Class Event Centre of the threat by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to shut down their business premises if the Peoples Democratic Party is allowed to use their hall for our presidential candidate ratification ceremonies,” the statement said.
The party further stated that it had paid for the venue in full and had instructed its legal team to remind the event centre of the agreement already in place.
“We state here, and for the record, that we had furnished consideration in full to consummate the earlier offer and acceptance. Furthermore, we had duly notified all relevant security agencies about the event. We have directed our lawyers to write, reminding A Class Event Centre of these facts.”
Insisting that the convention would proceed as planned, the PDP announced that delegates and stakeholders should attend the event at the scheduled time and venue.
“Having satisfied these requirements, we reiterate that the special convention to ratify the presidential candidature of President Goodluck Jonathan will hold as scheduled on Saturday, 30th May, 2026, at A Class Event Centre, Wuse 2, Abuja, by 10 a.m.”
The opposition party argued that no law empowers the FCT Minister to determine which political events can be held in the nation’s capital or where they should take place.
“We are certain that Nigeria is a country governed by law, and any attempt to use force to suppress political dissent and opposition is an aberration which must be resisted by all people of good conscience,” the statement added.
“There is nowhere in our laws where the Minister of the FCT is empowered to determine events that should be held and where they should be held. Such limitless powers are strange to a democratic republic, but available and operational only under an emperor — a title that President Tinubu has been struggling to deny.”
The party subsequently called on its leaders, National Executive Committee (NEC) members and other stakeholders from across the country to attend the convention as scheduled.
