A former spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party presidential campaign council, Umar Sani, has described the expulsion of Nyesom Wike and other party figures as “better late than never,”

Umar also stated that the party’s just-concluded national elective convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, was legally compliant.

Speaking in an interview on Arise News’ breakfast programme, Morning Show, on Monday, Sani dismissed criticisms that the party acted late in disciplining Wike and others.

He said the party had attempted internal reconciliation through the Ambassador Hassan Adamu Committee, which sought to mediate between the disputing camps.

We wanted to resolve this as a family, but it became clear there was no way to do so. Wike himself described it as a dispute among family members. One of his conditions was that we agree not to field a presidential candidate in 2027. We cannot wait for a fight to finish; we have to end the fight,” Sani said.

He defended the timing of the disciplinary actions, adding, “The actions we took are better late than never.”

Sani also clarified the confusion over the presence of election observers at the convention.

He emphasised that INEC’s presence or absence does not validate or invalidate a party convention, noting that the electoral act allows INEC to monitor national conventions but does not make it mandatory.

Sani cited the example of the Labour Party, whose previous convention proceeded without INEC, yet the commission recognised the results following a court order.

He stated that the last court order from Justice A.L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court gave the party legal leverage to proceed.

“The statutory requirements for the convention, which was to give 21-day notice, were met. We held our convention in compliance with statutory court orders,” he added.

As earlier reported by PUNCH Online, the PDP, at its 2025 National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday, elected the former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki, as its new National Chairman, and a former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Taofeek Arapaja, as the new National Secretary.

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