Uyo, Nigeria – Chris Ekpenyong, a former Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West, has strongly criticized the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, following Wike’s recent threats to create unrest in states controlled by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) if the governors continued to interfere in state matters.

In an interview with journalists on Sunday in Uyo, Ekpenyong dismissed Wike’s threats as a miscalculated attempt to capitalize on the PDP’s current disarray. Ekpenyong asserted that Wike, who rose through the ranks from local government chairman with the support of his former boss, Dr. Peter Odili, lacks the capability to destabilize the party.

“Wike is simply exploiting the PDP’s deviation from its founding principles,” Ekpenyong said. “The party’s governors have become more influential than the party itself, which is contrary to what was intended by the founders. I am skeptical about his ability to cause significant disruption.”

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, had warned of potential crises in PDP-controlled states if the governors continued to meddle in the affairs of the states. Ekpenyong, however, characterized Wike’s actions as futile, stating, “It is surprising to claim that PDP is alive when it has essentially gone into a cocoon. Wike’s threats are meaningless as he does not possess the ‘oxygen’ to initiate real change.”

Ekpenyong lamented that the PDP, once a bastion of social justice and fairness, has succumbed to a culture of imposition. He criticized the party for allowing state governors to overshadow its democratic processes and leadership. “PDP was originally a party built on social justice, where leadership emerged from the people’s choice,” he noted. “However, it has become a party where governors are treated like tin gods, and leadership is no longer derived from the grassroots.”

The former Akwa Ibom Deputy Governor’s remarks underscore a growing frustration within the party over its perceived erosion of democratic values and leadership principles. Ekpenyong’s comments reflect a broader discontent among some members of the PDP regarding the party’s direction and governance challenges.