Abuja, Nigeria – Nigeria’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is grappling with a deepening internal crisis, marked by accusations of dishonesty and a lack of trust among its leading figures, according to a statement from Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The ongoing turmoil, detailed by Minister Wike, highlights significant rifts within the party following the 2023 general elections, with recent efforts to reconcile factions allegedly undermined by fresh disagreements and breaches of earlier accords.
In his statement, Minister Wike described attempts to resolve the escalating tensions. He recounted a meeting of the “G5” faction in Lagos, where he directly accused the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, of being the “architect” of the party’s problems due to a failure to adhere to previous agreements. The meeting reportedly concluded with a resolution to move past the differences.
Wike further detailed a subsequent expanded meeting in Abuja, hosted by former Senate President Bukola Saraki. This session brought together Governor Makinde, Governor Umaru Fintri, Governor Bala Mohammed, and Minister Wike himself. During this reportedly heated meeting, Wike stated he accused Governor Bala Mohammed of routinely reneging on agreements while acting as Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum.
Despite the sharp exchanges, the Abuja meeting reportedly reached several resolutions, including:
- Confirmation that Senator Samuel Anyanwu would remain the National Secretary of the PDP, in line with a Supreme Court judgment.
- The withdrawal of all legal matters relating to Rivers State by the National Legal Adviser.
- The immediate withdrawal of a suit concerning a “State of Emergency.”
- A commitment that no party would deviate from the agreements reached.
Following these apparent breakthroughs, a committee headed by Bukola Saraki was formed to address other lingering issues.
However, Minister Wike’s statement expresses “disheartening” frustration, alleging that the “gentleman’s agreement” reached at Saraki’s residence was “crudely violated” even before the reconciliation committee could commence its work.
He accused Governor Seyi Makinde of conspiring with Governor Peter Mba of Enugu State to orchestrate a meeting of “South-East leaders,” who then reportedly recommended Ude Okoye as National Secretary, threatening to pull out of the PDP if not adopted – a resolution Wike has publicly dismissed as untenable.
Further allegations from Minister Wike include Governor Makinde’s purported orchestration of efforts within the National Secretariat to insist that the Deputy National Secretary act as National Secretary, in violation of the earlier agreement. This allegedly led to the Deputy National Secretary issuing a letter calling for a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC).
Wike also cited an incident where a letter confirming the governorship candidacy for an upcoming election in Anambra State, duly signed by National Secretary Senator Anyanwu and the acting National Chairman, was allegedly rebutted by the National Publicity Secretary, acting on the orders of Governors Makinde and Mba.
The Minister pointed to a recent incident on May 24, 2025, in Jos, where a widely publicised zonal elective congress of the PDP was reportedly aborted. This was attributed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refusing to attend because the invitation letter was signed by the Deputy National Secretary, rather than the legally recognised signatory, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, an act Wike labelled as “undeniably distasteful, provocative and annoying.”
The escalating disputes, as detailed by Minister Wike, underscore significant challenges facing the PDP as it navigates its post-election landscape
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