Ibadan, Nigeria
Nigeria’s main opposition, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has escalated its deep internal conflict by formally expelling the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and ten other high-ranking leaders over allegations of “anti-party activities.”
The decision was ratified by delegates at the PDP’s 20th National Convention, held at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Saturday. Those expelled include former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose and the party’s National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
A Move Against the ‘Wike Faction’
The mass expulsion marks a decisive move by the faction loyal to the party’s leadership, led by acting National Chairman Umaru Damagum, to consolidate control following months of bitter power struggles.
The move was immediately met with internal resistance and external legal challenges:
- Internal Backlash: Two high-profile governors, Governor Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State (who chaired the convention organising committee) and Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, publicly dissociated themselves from Mr. Wike’s expulsion, warning that the action could plunge the party into further crisis.
- Legal Conflict: The convention proceeded despite a Federal High Court order issued on Friday by Justice Peter Lifu, which explicitly suspended the event. This order was obtained by a former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, who alleged he was unfairly denied the chance to contest for the National Chairman position.
- Conflicting Orders: Organisers claimed they were unaware of the Friday order, citing an earlier, conflicting ruling from the Oyo State High Court that had permitted the convention to go ahead.
Analysis: Defiance and Instability
The decision to proceed with the convention in defiance of a court order and the swift expulsion of one of the party’s most powerful figures signals a deep, structural instability within the PDP.
- FCT Minister’s Role: Mr. Wike, a prominent figure and former Governor of Rivers State, has been a central source of internal friction since his appointment to the current government, which is led by the rival All Progressives Congress (APC). His alleged activities during the last election cycle led to the anti-party accusations.
- Legality in Doubt: Key legal experts and some of the expelled members argue that the entire convention is “procedurally defective and legally unsustainable.” They point to the conflicting court orders and the reported absence of officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which is typically required to monitor such high-level party elections.
- Southern Dissolution: In a further radical move, the convention dissolved the party structures in five states—Imo, Abia, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, and Mr. Wike’s home state of Rivers—indicating a massive internal restructuring aimed at weeding out dissent.
The FCT Minister’s camp dismissed the entire convention as a social gathering or “social party,” with his aide stating that no one should take the “dramatics” seriously.
The crisis now moves to the Court of Appeal, as the PDP faces the potential defection of several state governors, including those of Rivers, Osun, and Taraba, who pointedly shunned the Ibadan gathering.
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