A fresh wave of internal conflict has hit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, formally announced his withdrawal from all reconciliation agreements previously made to resolve the party’s lingering crises. In a strongly worded statement on Sunday titled “PDP Crisis: My Position”, Wike accused several high-ranking party members of betrayal and breaching gentleman’s agreements reached in multiple high-level meetings.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a key figure in the G5 bloc of aggrieved governors within the PDP, specifically blamed Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde for being “the architect” of the party’s ongoing instability. He also accused other prominent leaders, including Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah and PDP Governors’ Forum Chair Bala Mohammed, of reneging on critical decisions.
“Non-adherence to agreements reached is the bane of the party, and Seyi Makinde is the chief culprit of this anomaly,” Wike said in the statement, detailing the various instances where he believes trust was broken.
According to Wike, several resolutions were reached during meetings held in Lagos and Abuja — the latter hosted at the residence of former Senate President Bukola Saraki. These included affirming Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the legally recognized National Secretary of the PDP in line with a Supreme Court judgment, the withdrawal of legal disputes concerning Rivers State, and the suspension of actions that would undermine the party’s internal agreements.
Despite these resolutions, Wike claims that actions by Makinde and others, such as pushing for the appointment of Sunday Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary and attempting to use the Deputy National Secretary to convene meetings, were clear violations of those agreements.
He cited the recent aborted PDP North Central Zonal Congress in Jos as evidence of the deepening crisis, noting that INEC refused to observe the congress because the rightful National Secretary, Senator Anyanwu, did not sign the invitation.
“This is undeniably distasteful, provocative and annoying, to say the least,” Wike lamented, expressing frustration over what he termed “a calculated effort to sabotage the party’s integrity and legal standing.”
The internal wrangling in the PDP has grown since the conclusion of the 2023 general elections, with the party struggling to maintain unity. Wike’s relationship with the PDP national leadership has remained tense, especially after the controversial outcome of the presidential primaries and subsequent events in Rivers State.
The G5 group, comprised of Wike, Makinde, and three other former and current governors, had earlier positioned themselves as a reformist bloc within the PDP, demanding greater internal democracy and regional equity in leadership decisions. However, Sunday’s revelations show that the bloc itself may now be fragmented, with Wike openly accusing Makinde of working against previously agreed principles.
Wike’s decision to pull out of all reconciliatory arrangements casts fresh doubts over the PDP’s ability to present a united front in forthcoming elections, including the critical governorship races in Anambra and other states.
He concluded his statement with a veiled warning, saying he had hoped to preserve trust among colleagues but was left with no choice but to step back from the process due to ongoing acts of “dishonesty and treachery.”
As the PDP grapples with this renewed crisis, political observers believe the fallout could have far-reaching implications for the party’s electoral strength and credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
