The lingering crisis in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday rubbed on the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, as the party’s Factional Chairman, Alhaji Kawu Baraje accused the Minister of purportedly blaming the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Rivers State Governor Chubuike Rotimi Amaechi, and the ‘New PDP’.

Baraje, in statement, challenged the minister to produce concrete evidence in defence of his claim that Amaechi is fueling ASUU – Federal Government crisis. He wondered why President Goodluck Jonathan is still retaining him in his cabinet considering more capable hands that abound in the country.
The statement reads in part: “We have read with dismay the statement credited to the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, that Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and the New Peoples Democratic Party are behind the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
“We would have ordinarily ignored Wike’s outburst as the ranting of a confused and clueless minister but have decided to reply so as to set the record straight. We challenge Wike to produce evidence to back up his allegation or bury his head in shame forever.
The statement reads further: “If we may ask, was it Governor  Amaechi or any other of our members that negotiated on behalf of the Federal Government in 2009 when it reached the agreement with ASUU, which it has inexplicably refused to honour, thus laying the foundation for this lingering strike that has mortgaged the future of innocent Nigerian youths? And did any member of New PDP negotiate on the part of ASUU during the recently deadlocked talks with the FG over the strike?”
“It is unfortunate that instead of committing himself towards finding a solution to the crippling strike, Wike has instead chosen to trivialise the issue and to ridicule himself. Unfortunately, it is the actions and utterances of court jesters like Wike that have made perceptive Nigerians to describe the Goodluck Jonathan administration as a kindergarten government, Baraje said in the statement.
Sun News