WIKE WITHDRAWS FROM PDP RECONCILIATION DEAL, ACCUSES MAKINDE OF FUELLING PARTY CRISES

Read Time:3 Minute, 18 Second

Agency report

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has withdrawn from all previously agreed reconciliation efforts within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing betrayal, dishonesty, and repeated breaches of mutual agreements by top party leaders.

In a statement released on Sunday, Wike attributed the PDP’s internal crisis to events following the 2023 general elections, decrying what he called a growing atmosphere of “dishonesty and lack of trust among its key stakeholders.”

“Since after the 2023 General Election, the PDP has been wantonly swinging from one part of a slippery precipice to another,” Wike said, noting that several efforts had been made to “arrest this pernicious virus of dishonesty and treachery.”

Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and prominent figure within the influential G5 group, held Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State responsible for undermining reconciliation efforts, describing him as the “architect of our problems.”

“I made it clear to the Governor of Oyo State, HE, Seyi Makinde, that he was the architect of our problems, pointing out to him that non-adherence to agreements reached was the bane of the party, and that he was the chief culprit of this anomaly,” Wike stated.

He revealed that during a G5 meeting held in Lagos, the governors had agreed to set aside their differences and work together.

This was followed by a larger gathering in Abuja at Senator Bukola Saraki’s guest house, which brought together key PDP stakeholders including Governors Bala Mohammed, Umaru Fintiri, and Seyi Makinde, along with Saraki.

Wike stated that the Abuja meeting produced a series of firm resolutions: the recognition of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling, the withdrawal of all court cases related to Rivers State by the party’s National Legal Adviser, and a halt to all legal actions concerning a potential state of emergency in Rivers.

However, Wike said these agreements were blatantly disregarded almost immediately, even before Saraki’s reconciliation committee could begin its task.

“To my chagrin, Seyi Makinde had connived with Peter Mba 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,” he alleged.

Wike also accused party officials of attempting to sideline Anyanwu by presenting the Deputy National Secretary as acting National Secretary, and using a letter from him to call for a National Executive Committee meeting, moves Wike said were “in complete violation of the agreements reached.”

He cited an incident on May 24, 2025, in Jos, where a PDP zonal elective congress was aborted because INEC refused to attend.

The reason, he said, was because the letter of invitation was signed by the Deputy National Secretary, not the duly recognised National Secretary.

“This is undeniably distasteful, provocative and annoying, to say the least,” Wike declared.

Reflecting on his long association with the PDP since 1998, Wike expressed dismay that those he helped rise to political prominence had turned against him.

“It is on record that none of these persons have done anything close to what I have done to sustain this party.

“What is more painful is that I contributed substantially to most of these governors winning their elections, yet I have not made any personal demands on any of them and I would never do so,” he said.

Declaring a turning point, Wike said he had lost faith in the trust and camaraderie that once existed among party stakeholders and would no longer participate in any further reconciliation deals.

“I have now firmly decided to pull out of all agreements hitherto reached. I have decided to fight on until justice is attained,” the FCT minister concluded.

As of the time of filing this report, the PDP has yet to issue an official response to Wike’s latest position.

Similarly, Makinde and Mba have yet to respond to the minister’s statement.