Kabiru Turaki Uses Suicide Law in Response to Nyesom Wike’s Defiance After PDP Suspension

Kabiru Turaki, the new chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), responded to statements made by Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following Wike’s suspension from the party.

Wike had insisted that he would not allow anyone to push him out of the party, likening it to being kicked out of a house he built.

In an interview, Turaki referenced the concept of a suicide law to counter Wike’s claims of permanent ownership or immunity within the PDP. Turaki reminded the public that Wike himself was involved in the removal of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, a founding member of the PDP, from both the office of national chairman and party membership at the ward level.

Turaki said, “But the simple truth is, he was one of the people that were responsible for the removal of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, not only from the office of the national chairman of this party, but also from being removed as a member of the party in his ward.”

He added, “When PDP was formed, Ayu was one of the foundation members. But he was responsible for removing him.”

Turaki used a metaphor to explain party discipline: “So if you are in a house, and then you are saying that the architect who designed the house and the builder who built that house can be removed by you, who was one of the first occupants of that house, are you now coming to say that the person who has come to renovate that house does not have the power to remove you also?”

He further warned, “Once you’ve decided to say I want to kill this party, we will not allow you. We can’t allow you. There’s what is called an offense of suicide, if you succeed in killing yourself, then you’re gone. But if you fail in an attempt to kill yourself, the government will punish you. Why should the government punish you? Is it not your own life? Are you not the one taking your life? So it does not mean if you’re the founding fathers of PDP that you will kill it.”

Turaki’s remarks underline the party’s stance that no member, regardless of seniority or founding status, is above party rules or discipline.