Minister pledges to fight on “until justice is attained”
The lingering crisis within Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has taken a dramatic turn as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, formally withdrew from all reconciliation efforts, citing repeated betrayals and a breakdown of trust.
In a statement issued Sunday and personally signed, Wike accused Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, of being the “architect” of the party’s problems, alleging that he has continually undermined efforts to restore unity and stability to the party following the 2023 general elections.
“I made it clear to the Governor of Oyo State, HE, Seyi Makinde, that he was the architect of our problems,” Wike stated, blaming “non-adherence to agreements” as the root cause of the PDP’s internal turmoil.
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a prominent member of the influential G5 group, also criticized Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, accusing him and others of colluding to subvert the party’s decisions and obstruct reconciliation.
Fractured Agreements
Wike detailed several reconciliation meetings held in recent months, including one hosted by former Senate President Bukola Saraki, where resolutions were made to maintain Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the PDP National Secretary and to withdraw legal cases relating to the Rivers State chapter of the party.
However, according to Wike, these agreements were violated even before the Saraki-led committee began its work. He cited attempts by Makinde and Mbah to impose a different candidate for the National Secretary position and to misrepresent the party’s stance on key documents related to forthcoming elections.
“Seyi Makinde organized some people in the National Secretariat to insist that the Deputy National Secretary should act as National Secretary, in violation of the agreement,” he said, referencing a letter inviting INEC to a zonal congress in Jos that was rejected for lacking the proper signatories.
Fallout and Future
The minister expressed frustration that despite his long-standing commitment to the PDP since 1998, his efforts to ensure unity were being undermined by those he helped rise within the party.
“I contributed substantially to most of these governors winning their elections, yet I have not made any personal demands on any of them,” he said, lamenting the betrayal of trust.
Wike declared that he would no longer honor any prior reconciliation arrangements and vowed to continue fighting for “justice” within the party.
This latest development further complicates the PDP’s internal dynamics and raises fresh concerns about its cohesion ahead of critical off-cycle elections, particularly in Anambra and North-Central states.
Political observers suggest Wike’s withdrawal could deepen existing divisions and potentially derail the party’s chances of presenting a united front in future contests.
