The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Monday criticized the embattled National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Amb. Umar Damagum.

Wike who spoke on Channels Television’s politics Today, described Damagum as a “Tax collector” who lacked the discipline and integrity to lead the opposition party.

The former two-term governor of Rivers State alleged that Damagum was never in control of his legal affairs when the party faced internal court battles, claiming that he personally intervened to stabilise the PDP leadership during that period.

He said: “Damagum does not even know who his lawyer was when we went to court. That was how we were able to stabilize and keep Damagum”.

The FCT Minister also accused Damagum of being driven solely by financial interests, describing him as someone who prioritizes money over loyalty or principle.

READ ALSO:

He said: “But you see, as a tax collector, he will always be. Damagum is a tax collector. He doesn’t need to work with FIRS, he is a company tax collector.

“There are people who are like that naturally in their life, that is how they are. They think money is everything in life. They think they can never be steadfast”.

Challenging Damagum to take legal action if he felt defamed by the claim, Wike declared: “Let Damagum challenge me. Let him go to court and sue me and say, ‘Look, this was what the minister said about me.’ He knows he cannot.”

Wike’s remarks came amid deepening internal strife within the PDP, with rival factions of the party led by Damagum and Samuel Anyanwu, respectively.

He also said former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had no option but to leave the PDP for another party, insisting that Atiku’s departure was inevitable given his history with the party.

Wike accused Atiku and his allies of repeatedly destabilizing the PDP, saying their recent defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) only confirmed their lack of commitment.

He said: “Atiku has no choice but to go. Someone who wants to use the PDP, knowing that I am there, cannot get that platform. These are people who destroyed the party. Remember how many times he left and came back to the PDP.”

The FCT Minister also took a swipe at those who had accused him of secretly working for the APC, describing their actions as hypocritical now that many of them have defected to the ruling party.

“The man you claimed is working for APC to kill PDP is still in the PDP, and you people have run away to join the party you said I am working for,” he said.

When asked if he felt pleased that most of his critics had exited the party, Wike replied curtly, “They have never been committed.”