The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued expulsion certificates to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and other officials expelled at the last convention in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

Addressing journalists after a meeting of the NWC on Tuesday in Abuja, National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki, SAN, said the issue of expelled of members was discussed at the meeting.

Turaki explained that “We have taken note of the fact that Nigerian law frowns on dual membership of political parties, and so we have sought to make it easy for them.

“Now that they are no longer members of our party, and now that the National Convention which is the highest decision-making organ of our party has expelled them, we have decided to issue them certificates of expulsion.

“So that, when they go to register with other political parties in Nigeria, they will show these certificates as proof that they are no longer members of the PDP, and so those parties will not accuse them of trying to belong to more than one political party.”

He said the certificates had been dispatched via courier to the 11 persons  namely, Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, Senator Samuel Anyanwu; Umaru Bature; Kamarudeen Ajibade,SAN, Abdurahman Muhammad; Senator Mao Ohuabunwa; Mr Austin Nwachukwu; Abraham Amah Nnanna; George Turna and Chief Dan Orbih.

Turaki said the move became necessary to allow Nigerians, particularly critical institutions involved in managing the affairs of political parties, especially INEC, and agencies managing security affairs in society to know their status.

He asked the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps and other government agencies to “know that these people are no longer members of our party. They have been expelled. They remain expelled. We have now certified their expulsion, and these certificates have been sent to them.”

He also went further to say that soon, members of the society will be informed “via proper disclaimers that any person henceforth who decides to do business with any of them or all of them does so at his or her own risk.

“They are no longer members of the People’s Democratic Party. They have been expelled. You today are living witnesses to their certificates of expulsion. We hope that members of the PDP in Nigeria and the diaspora will know that the party has once again gotten rid of the cankerworms that have been afflicting and creating problems for us in our activities.

“We are now prepared to be saddled with the responsibility of performing our functions as the leading opposition party in Nigeria. We are going to provide a credible alternative to Nigerians. We are going to provide credible leadership to Nigerians by the special grace of God from 2027.”