•FCT minister rebuffs peace overtures, declares war on Makinde, Mbah
•Party disclaims Wike’s agreements, says deals personal
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has postponed its 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting amid growing concerns over whether the party’s top decision-making body can take decisive action against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
The meeting had been scheduled for tomorrow at the PDP’s National Secretariat in Abuja. However, it was postponed to allow the reconciliation committee led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki to carry out its assignment.
A notice tagged “Postponement of the 99th NEC Meeting,” signed by PDP’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, stated that a new date would be scheduled.
The notice reads: “The above subject refers. This is to formally inform leaders and members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of our great party that the proposed NEC meeting, earlier announced to take place on May 27, 2025, has been postponed. The postponement is to allow the Bukola Saraki Reconciliation Committee to complete its assignment of resolving some internal conflicts necessary for a peaceful NEC meeting.
“Accordingly, a new date will be formally announced in accordance with the PDP Constitution 2017 as amended and the Electoral Act, 2022. Therefore, any notice of NEC meeting or publication signed by the Deputy National Secretary in the guise of Acting National Secretary is illegal, unauthorised, and should be disregarded. All inconveniences resulting from this change of date are regretted. Please accept the assurances of my esteemed regards.”
This came as the acting National Chairman, Ilya Damagum, expressed dismay at the pussyfooting by the PDP disciplinary committee, stressing that the committee’s lethargic attitude towards petitions, particularly those against Wike’s anti-party activities, has contributed to the ongoing confusion in the party.
Damagum, who made the assertions while fielding questions on the BBC Hausa programme Gane man Hanya, disclosed that the disciplinary committee received at least 40 petitions regarding indiscipline.
He regretted that the committee acted on only one petition, remarking that such sluggishness contributed to the PDP’s current vulnerability. He stressed, “There were strong grounds to remove Wike and others from the party.”
He noted that at a point, the disciplinary committee was advised that the actions of the five troublemakers merited expulsion, regretting that nothing happened until after the 2023 elections were concluded.
Even as he lamented that the committee devoted time only to the petition concerning the national secretary, the acting national chairman said the party could have avoided its current predicament.
He bemoaned, “Now, I am in charge of the party, they are pressuring me to expel him after he and his group succeeded in setting the party back through the things they did.”
Similarly, former PDP National Auditor Ray Nnaji said, “Discipline must be enforced. Nyesom Wike is derailing the party. If he doesn’t want to remain, he should leave. His conduct is damaging the PDP—this same party made him who he is, including his current position in the APC-led government. The party must act using its constitution to restore order.”
Nnaji also condemned threats by South-East leaders over the secretary position, stressing, “It shouldn’t be by command, but dialogue. Regional leaders have not helped the situation. Even the Enugu governor has failed to improve what he met. Instead of threats, they should engage in dialogue—the party belongs to all,” he said.
Echoing similar sentiments, a party chieftain, James Uzosike, declared the urgency of enforcing discipline, adding, “The problem is leadership’s inability to act decisively on critical issues.”
Chief Olabode George, a member of the party’s Board of Trustees, called on the NEC to take a firm stand on disciplinary issues.
“Today’s meeting should not be about sentiments. Anyone who is not loyal to the party should be shown the way out. Voting for an APC presidential candidate while claiming to be in the PDP is double standards,” he said.
HOWEVER, still threatening fire and brimstone, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, has not only pulled out of all agreements reached to ensure a peaceful resolution of the party’s crisis but also declared war on two state governors.
Citing serious breaches of agreements reached by stakeholders led by the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, Wike vowed to “fight on until justice is attained.”
While blaming the Oyo State Governor as the architect of the party’s present problems, the FCT Minister said that he told Governor Makinde that “non-adherence to agreements reached was the bane of the party, and that he was the chief culprit of this anomaly.”
In a statement yesterday titled ‘PDP Crisis: My Position,’ which he signed, the minister insisted that, in line with earlier resolutions reached by party stakeholders, Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the PDP’s National Secretary.
“This is in tandem with the Supreme Court judgment. All legal matters relating to Rivers State must be withdrawn by the National Legal Adviser; the suit on the state of emergency must be withdrawn forthwith, and that nobody should deviate from the agreements so reached must be respected by all the parties involved,” he added.
Wike made detailed disclosures on earlier meetings and agreements reached on how the crisis in the party could be resolved, pointing out that despite his reservations, he had already agreed before noticing flagrant breaches.
Part of the statement read: “Since 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. To stem this ugly trend, efforts have been made to arrest this pernicious virus of dishonesty and treachery and enthrone fidelity to agreements to stabilise the party and move it forward.
“To this end, a meeting of the G5 was held in Lagos. In that meeting, I made it clear to the Governor of Oyo State, 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. At the end of the meeting, we resolved to bury the hatchet and make progress.
“As a follow-up to the aforementioned meeting, there was an expanded meeting in Abuja involving Seyi Makinde, Umaru Fintri, Bala Mohammed, and Bukola Saraki, in Saraki’s guest house.
“In that meeting, I made it clear that I had no personal problems with Bala Mohammed, except that he hides under the facade of Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum to serially renege on agreements.
“Tensions rose mightily in the meeting, and it took all concerned to calm frayed nerves. At the end of the meeting, we came to some resolutions, including that Senator Samuel Anyanwu remains the National Secretary of the PDP in tandem with the Supreme Court judgment, all legal matters relating to Rivers State must be withdrawn by the National Legal Adviser, the suit on the state of emergency must be withdrawn forthwith, and nobody should deviate from the agreements so reached.”
MEANWHILE, the Peoples Democratic Party has distanced itself from any agreements made by Wike, declaring that such arrangements are personal and do not represent the party’s official position.
Speaking in Abuja yesterday, PDP National Financial Secretary Daniel Woyengikuro asserted that the party was not involved in any deals made by the former Rivers State governor.
“What agreements are we talking about? Wike had agreements with his friends, not with the party. Those names he mentioned — are they the party? The party was not involved in any agreements he made. We have no knowledge of such agreements,” Woyengikuro stated.
He emphasised the importance of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) convening to address the growing disputes.
“The NEC will address any issues. This isn’t a physical fight or a man-to-man confrontation. All this unnecessary drama is uncalled for,” he added.
Woyengikuro dismissed Wike’s public accusations and urged Nigerians to seek official party positions from the appropriate authorities.
“Please, reach out to the chairman or the publicity secretary for the party’s official position,” he advised.
However, Jones Onyereri, a PDP Board of Trustees member, offered a contrasting view in his comments to Vanguard on Sunday. He questioned why anyone would walk back on agreements brokered by respected party elders.
“Why would anyone renege on an agreement that elders staked their reputations to broker? These are high-ranking members of the party — sitting governors, former governors — who reached a consensus. So why go back on it? It’s not a good look,” Onyereri said.
