The growing conflict between two influential leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has deepened the party’s internal crisis, putting the upcoming 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in serious jeopardy.
Wike, on Sunday, publicly declared his withdrawal from all reconciliation efforts meant to settle the ongoing disputes in the party. In a personally signed statement on Sunday titled “PDP Crisis: My Position,” Wike declared that the PDP has been plagued by “dishonesty and lack of trust amongst its key stakeholders,” and vowed to “fight on until justice is attained.”
“Since after the 2023 General election, the PDP has been wantonly swinging from one part of a slippery precipice to another, owing fundamentally to dishonesty and lack of trust amongst its key stakeholders,” the minister stated. “To stem this ugly trend, efforts have been made to arrest this pernicious virus of dishonesty and treachery and enthrone fidelity to agreements.”
Wike disclosed that during a G5 meeting in Lagos, he directly confronted Governor Makinde over what he described as a betrayal of trust, adding that there had also been a subsequent expanded meeting held at the Abuja residence of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, also attend by Governors Umaru Fintiri, Bala Mohammed, and where certain resolutions were reached.
Among the resolutions were “that Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the National Secretary of the PDP in tandem with the Supreme Court judgement, all legal matters relating to Rivers State must be withdrawn by the National Legal Adviser, the suit on the State of emergency be withdrawn forthwith, and nobody should deviate from the agreements so reached,” he noted.
However, the former Rivers State Governor lamented that those resolutions were soon violated.
“It is disheartening to note that even before the Bukola Saraki Reconciliation Committee began its work, the gentleman’s agreement we reached at Saraki’s Guest House was already being crudely violated,” Wike said.
He specifically accused Makinde of working with Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, to undermine the agreement.
“Seyi Makinde had connived with Peter Mbah of Enugu State to orchestrate the summoning of the meeting of so-called South-East leaders to recommend that if Ude Okoye was not adopted as secretary, they would pull out of the PDP.”
“Seyi Makinde organised some people in the National Secretariat to insist that the Deputy National Secretary should act as National Secretary, in violation of the agreement earlier reached,” he added
According to him, this led to confusion within the party’s leadership and affected official communications, including a situation where a letter properly signed by the National Secretary and Acting National Chairman confirming a gubernatorial candidate in Anambra was undermined through a rebuttal allegedly ordered by Makinde and Mbah.
“On the 24th of May 2025, in Jos, for instance, a well-publicised and properly attended zonal elective congress of the PDP was aborted because the letter inviting INEC to the congress was signed by the Deputy National Secretary… INEC refused to attend because the proper signatory recognised by law, that is Senator Samuel Anyanwu, was not a signatory to the invitation notice,” Wike said.
Decrying the situation as “undeniably distasteful, provocative and annoying, Wike asserted that his commitment to the party since 1998 has never wavered, unlike those he accuses of “playing games to the detriment of the party.”
“I have now firmly decided to pull out of all agreements hitherto reached. I have decided to fight on until justice is attained,” he concluded.
Responding to the renewed tensions, former Senate President Bukola Saraki pledged to persuade the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory to rejoin the negotiation process.
Speaking through his media aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki gave this assurance during an exclusive phone conversation with our correspondent on Sunday.
He said, “Wike’s pulling out of the arrangement is not really a setback as you inferred. It’s just an indication that we still need to do more work and intensify more efforts.
“A mediator cannot be seen reacting to every issue arising conflicts otherwise in the process of speaking, he may say something that the various parties may misintepret.
“Even in the first statement issued by Wike, you can see where he referred to his position in the reconciliation committee.”
The former Senate President also warned that Nigerians, including stakeholders of the PDP, could not afford to allow the opposition go into oblivion, stressing that the development would see the country evolved into a one-party state.
“The alternative to PDP is one party state. The PDP goes beyond party. That is the only legacy party that is remaining. Out of the three parties with which we started this democracy, AD is gone, APP is gone.
“So, this is the only legacy party. Allowing it to die will be a major setback for democracy” he warned.
The tensions have even affected official party procedures. On May 24, a zonal congress in Jos had to be canceled after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declined attendance due to improper documentation. INEC reportedly refused to recognize the Deputy National Secretary’s signature, insisting on Anyanwu’s endorsement.
Across PDP state chapters, reactions have varied. Ekiti State caretaker chairman Dare Adeleke criticized Wike’s recent behavior, saying, “It is a devilish act for anybody that has reaped from the PDP to now turn around saying that the party must be dead.” In Ogun, Sunday Solarin claimed Wike has shown no recent signs of loyalty to the party. “He is only acting a script,” he said, hinting at Wike’s closeness to the ruling APC.
Gombe PDP Chairman Mamman Kwaskebe dismissed Wike’s actions as a distraction. “Whatever he is doing now is to dance to the tune of APC,” he remarked. Bayelsa’s PDP Chairman Solomon Agwanana said they had been expecting Wike’s exit, adding, “He is working for the APC and has stated publicly that he wants to return President Tinubu in 2027.”
Meanwhile, Saraki, who leads the reconciliation committee, is still hoping for a breakthrough. Speaking through his aide, Yusuph Olaniyonu, he said Wike’s exit is not a failure, but a reminder that more work is needed. “A mediator cannot be seen reacting to every issue… otherwise, in the process of speaking, he may say something that the various parties may misinterpret.”
As the clock ticks towards May 27, the day originally set for the NEC meeting, the PDP stands at a crossroads. While Makinde’s group pushes to proceed with the meeting, Wike’s faction appears determined to halt it. The Saraki-led panel met again on Sunday night, reportedly trying to secure last-minute agreements that could salvage the session and, perhaps, the unity of the party.
