Segun Sowunmi, a key figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused President Bola Tinubu of exacerbating the internal conflicts plaguing the opposition party.
In an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Sowunmi stated that the crisis within the PDP stems directly from Tinubu’s actions, particularly his decision to appoint former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, a PDP member, into his cabinet without prior consultation with the party.
Sowunmi criticized Tinubu for what he described as a unilateral move that has only deepened the divisions within the PDP.
“People will like to say Wike is the cause of the PDP’s problem, but I would rather say it is President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” he declared. “He has no business appointing our member into his cabinet without talking to us.”
Sowunmi further compared Tinubu’s approach to that of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who consulted opposition parties when forming a government of national unity.
“When Obasanjo wanted to form a government of national unity, he ran to the party, but what did he (Tinubu) do? He took one of us and put him in a strategic position, and suddenly, the whole thing is complicated,” Sowunmi said.
He called for Wike’s removal from Tinubu’s cabinet, suggesting that such a move would ease tensions within the PDP. “If he wants our party to be okay, he should sack Wike and return him to PDP.”
Despite the ongoing turmoil, Sowunmi strongly rejected claims that the PDP is on the brink of collapse, asserting that the party has endured far more challenging times.
“A party that did not die when Obasanjo tore his card, a party that did not die when Jonathan stood down, is going to die?” Sowunmi remarked, emphasizing the party’s resilience.
In the ongoing dispute over the party’s chairmanship, Sowunmi explained that PDP awaits a court ruling to determine the next steps.
He also criticized the quick resort to legal action, noting that such tactics often hinder the party’s ability to resolve issues.
In defending the PDP’s role as a responsible opposition, Sowunmi condemned the actions of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), highlighting their past tactics of undermining Nigeria’s image before they came to power.
“We (PDP) are far more mature than them because we understand what it means to protect the territorial integrity and the brand equity of Nigeria,” he stated.
As the party waits for a resolution on key issues, Sowunmi’s comments reveal the internal tensions and challenges that continue to shape the PDP’s future.