JUST IN: Damagun-Led PDP NWC Members Reaches Consensus To Expel Wike

The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is reportedly considering the expulsion of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, from the party amid deepening internal divisions.

Top party insiders told DAILY GAZETTE that there is now a strong consensus within the NWC that the former Rivers State governor’s continued membership is no longer tenable.

They said the decision may be finalized at the party’s national convention scheduled for November 15–16, should ongoing reconciliation efforts fail.

“Wike has made it clear that it’s either his way or nothing,” a senior official said.

“Even his close allies have tried to make him see reason, but he’s refused. If the Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) fails to reconcile the factions, the NWC may have no choice but to act.”

According to the source, the BoT reconciliation committee, chaired by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, is expected to submit its report today (Tuesday). “If it fails, expulsion may be announced at the convention,” he added.

Another official told DAILY GAZETTE that many members feel the move is long overdue, given Wike’s open support for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and its 2027 presidential bid.

“You can’t be a PDP leader and campaign for an APC president, that’s political heresy,” the source said.

“If they get the numbers they’re targeting, expulsion may be the only way to save the party.

In a separate development, the faction loyal to Wike has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) against Justice A. L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, accusing him of misconduct in handling a suit relating to the planned PDP convention.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Imo State PDP Chairman Austin Nwachukwu, accompanied by other members of the Wike faction, said the group submitted a petition dated November 5 to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, received on November 6.

The petitioners alleged that Justice Akintola acted with “judicial recklessness and impunity” by granting an ex parte order allowing the convention to proceed, despite an earlier order from a Federal High Court in Abuja restraining the PDP from holding the event.

They argued that the Oyo judge’s decision contradicted a valid judgment of coordinate jurisdiction (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025, delivered October 31), which had suspended preparations for the convention.

“This kind of judicial overreach erodes public confidence in the justice system,” the petition read.

“We call on the NJC to act swiftly and uphold the integrity of the judiciary.”

Meanwhile, Justice Akintola on Monday reaffirmed his earlier ruling, granting the PDP permission to go ahead with the convention as planned.

During the resumed hearing, the judge directed all parties to adhere to the approved guidelines and timetable, and to file necessary court processes before the next sitting, which was adjourned to Wednesday.

The claimant in the case, Folahan Adelabi, had sought an injunction restraining Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri (Chairman of the Convention Organising Committee), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from halting or frustrating the exercise.

Reacting to the court development, former PDP National Secretary Ibrahim Tsauri told DAILY GAZETTE that the convention would proceed as scheduled, dismissing the Wike faction’s efforts as “futile.”

“When the Abuja court asked us to stop, we obeyed. Now that another court has given the go-ahead, we’ll follow that order,” Tsauri said.

“Even if both courts have the same jurisdiction, the latest order stands. The Damagum-led NWC remains the legitimate leadership.”

Tsauri added that the convention would usher in new party executives and trigger a mass return of defected members ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Those boasting that nobody can touch them have now seen that even powerful figures can face sanctions for anti-party activities,” he said.

“By 2026, many who crossed over to the APC will find their way back. Even President Tinubu may realise that contesting against a united PDP is a waste of effort.”

He described the rival faction of the Board of Trustees as “child’s play”, insisting that the party is on course to reclaim its position as Nigeria’s dominant political force.

The Federal Government has begun diplomatic efforts to facilitate the transfer of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who is currently serving a nine-year prison sentence in the United Kingdom for organ harvesting.

A Nigerian government delegation led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, held talks with officials of the UK Ministry of Justice in London on Monday.

The team later met with Ambassador Mohammed Maidugu, Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, at the Nigerian High Commission in London.

According to sources familiar with the discussions, the visit is part of President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing diplomatic push to explore options for Ekweremadu’s possible early release or transfer to Nigeria on humanitarian and legal grounds.

Officials said talks centered on possible frameworks for a prisoner transfer agreement, compassionate parole, or sentence review within the provisions of UK law.

“We are in talks with the British authorities on the prospect of allowing Senator Ekweremadu to serve the rest of his sentence in Nigeria,”
a senior official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told DAILY GAZETTE.

“Consultations are still ongoing,” the official added.

Ekweremadu, a veteran politician and three-time Deputy Senate President, was convicted in March 2023 by the Old Bailey Court in London along with his wife, Beatrice, and Dr. Obinna Obeta.

The trio was found guilty of conspiring to exploit David Nwamini, a young Nigerian, for the illegal harvesting of his kidney to save the senator’s ailing daughter.

Ekweremadu was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison following the landmark ruling, the first of its kind under the UK’s Modern Slavery Act.

The family of former Nigerian President Shehu Shagari has announced the passing of his last surviving wife, Hajiya Saratu Shehu Shagari. She died on Monday at the age of 89 after battling a prolonged illness.

A statement signed by the former president’s eldest son, Captain Mohammed Bala Shagari, confirmed that she passed away around 3 p.m.

He described Hajiya Saratu as a woman of grace, humility, and quiet strength, noting that she lived a life marked by dignity and service.

The family said that funeral arrangements will be communicated to the public in due course.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday recalled that during his tenure as Nigeria’s Head of State, the late US President Jimmy Carter would not undertake any actions in Africa without informing the Nigerian government.

His remarks appeared to indirectly comment on the recent controversy over former US President Donald Trump’s military threat against Nigeria.

Daily Trust reports that in late October and early November, Trump had threatened military intervention in Nigeria if the Federal Government failed to curb killings by jihadist groups.

The threat sparked reactions from the government, Nigerian leaders, and religious organizations.

Speaking at the Presidential Youth Mentorship Retreat (6.0) organized by the Youth Development Centre, an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Obasanjo reflected on Nigeria’s historical influence and the respect it commanded internationally under his leadership.

“When I was Head of State, President Jimmy Carter would not do anything in Africa without informing us. They were not seeking permission, but they would tell us what they were doing,” Obasanjo said, recalling his strong relationship with the late US leader.

Obasanjo also emphasized Nigeria’s potential as a continental leader, noting that the country regained global confidence during the Muritala-Obasanjo military regime after losing it shortly after independence.

“The Americas saw the possibility of Nigeria being Africa’s leader, and we were on the way,” he said.

Addressing participating youths from Nigeria and other African countries, Obasanjo encouraged them to be positively disruptive, seize leadership roles, and leverage their demographic advantage.

“You are leaders of today because if you leave tomorrow in the hands of leaders who are there today, they will destroy it. You won’t have your tomorrow. You have to be positively disruptive; otherwise, you will have no role to play,” he said.

The former president, however, expressed concern that some young leaders in government have yet to prove that youths can be fully trusted in governance.

Obasanjo noted that since he left office, no US President has visited Nigeria, highlighting the country’s diminished influence on the global stage.

The ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated on Monday as loyalists of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), alleging judicial misconduct against Justice A.L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court.

The petition, dated November 5, 2025, and acknowledged by the Office of the Chief Justice of Nigeria on November 6, 2025, was submitted by Hon. Austine Nwachukwu, Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna, and Turnah Alabh George, who had previously approached the Umar Damagum-led National Working Committee (NWC) in a bid to halt the PDP convention.

According to the petitioners, Justice Akintola acted recklessly and with impunity when he issued an ex parte order on November 4, 2025, authorizing the PDP National Convention in Ibadan for November 15–16, 2025.

The order, they argued, contradicted a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025) delivered on October 31, 2025, which had expressly restrained the party from holding the convention on those dates.

“This disturbing development not only threatens the integrity of the Nigerian judiciary but also risks setting a dangerous precedent capable of eroding public confidence in the justice system,” said Nwachukwu.

The PDP members accused Justice Akintola of sitting on appeal over a judgment of a court of coordinate jurisdiction, describing his actions as a serious breach of judicial order and a threat to the rule of law.

The petitioners called on the NJC to act swiftly and decisively, warning that any delay could embolden judicial officers who disregard due process.

They urged the council to reaffirm its commitment to discipline, impartiality, and judicial integrity by holding errant judges accountable.

“The Nigerian judiciary must remain the last hope of the common man and not a tool for political expediency. Prompt and transparent action by the NJC will restore faith in the judiciary and reinforce the principle that no one, no matter how highly placed, is above the law,” Nwachukwu added.

They cited previous instances in Rivers, Imo, and other states, where the NJC had acted swiftly in cases of judicial misconduct, and urged the council to maintain the same standard in this matter.

Aviation entrepreneur and philanthropist, Captain Evarest Nnaji (popularly known as Odengene), has debunked reports circulating in sections of the media and on social platforms suggesting that he intends to contest the 2027 Governorship Election in Enugu State.

In a public statement released on Monday, November 10, 2025, Capt. Nnaji described the reports as entirely false, misleading, and mischievous, urging members of the public to disregard them.

“My attention has been drawn to recent media reports and online publications claiming that I will be contesting for the Governorship of Enugu State in the forthcoming election,” he said.

“I hereby unequivocally state that these reports are false and should be disregarded. I have no such intentions.”

Capt. Nnaji emphasized that a campaign flyer circulating on social media platforms purporting to announce his gubernatorial ambition was the handiwork of mischief-makers bent on spreading misinformation.

“Let it be on record that the recent campaign flyer making the rounds on social media is fake,” he stated. “The public should ignore such fabricated and misleading information, as it does not represent my true position, views, or intentions.”

He further clarified that his current focus remains on his professional, humanitarian, and developmental commitments, not politics.

“I am strongly focused on my professional, humanitarian, and developmental engagements and have no political ambitions as falsely reported,” Capt. Nnaji affirmed.

The renowned businessman and founder of Odengene Air Shuttle Services (OAS Helicopters) thanked the public for their understanding and urged citizens to always verify information before circulating it online.

“Thank you for your understanding, and God bless you,” he concluded.