By Our Reporter
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, has strongly condemned the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. Nyesom Wike, over his threat to "shoot" Channels Television anchor man, Mr. Seun Okinbaloye, for taking the position that Nigeria is and will remain a Multi - Party Democracy as against the minister's choice of a one- Party Democracy.
It would be recalled that Wike, during a media parley in Abuja, in reaction to a statement by Okinbaloye, on the programme Politics Today, said: "If there’s any way to break the screen, I would have shot him," a statement that has since sparked widespread outrage.
Okinbaloye had on the programme raised concerns about the possibility of Nigeria drifting towards a one-party state amid the leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its implications for opposition politics ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Pearse, a Public Affairs Analyst and also Member, Board of Governors of the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI), made the condemnation in an Open Letter to Wike, copy of which was made available to newsmen on Thursday, alleging that the minister by his own words and action was guilty of conspiracy to commit murder.
The PDP chieftain, while giving the position, argued that it would not be enough for the minister "to apologize to Seun because you are a threat not only to Seun Okinbaloye, but to the whole societ," even as he further alleged that this was not the first time Wike had issued such threat.
"It is difficult to see how any court of law anywhere in the world would vindicate you. Be rest assured that We, the people have already found you guilty in the Court of Public Opinion," he said.
Pearse, in his condemnation of the threat against Okinbaloye, sadly said that the minister was needlessly making a name for himself "as the notorious symbol of the age of decadence in which Nigeria unfortunately finds itself today."
"This unforgiving blood thirsty attitude of yours to politics has taken an even more sinister turn since you lost the race for nomination as the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party; PDP in 2022.
"Your failure to win the PDP primaries coupled with the refusal of Atiku Abubakar to offer you a position in his cabinet, should he become President have turned your anger into blind rage.Your obsession for revenge against the PDP and Atiku has turned you into a pathological case; raving and ranting like a rabid dog.
"It is in this context that your wish to shoot Seun Okinbaloye comes into focus, for Seun's only offence was to challenge your position that a one- Party System was good for Nigeria.
"While you argue that the PDP must not field a Presidential candidate, and that no political party will be allowed to contest against Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, Seun took the position that Nigeria is and will remain a Multi - Party Democracy. He insisted that it is only fair that citizens have an opportunity to choose their political parties and their candidates, and not be compelled to vote for candidates under a single political platform.
"I put it to you Mr Wike that in that encounter on national television, Seun Okinbaloye looked and sounded like a statesman," the letter read.
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