The growing conflict between the factions loyal to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has intensified the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party, threatening the planned 99th National Executive Committee meeting scheduled for May 27.

In a statement released on Sunday, Wike announced his withdrawal from the reconciliation efforts, blaming Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah for the crisis within the PDP.

Anonymous sources within the PDP National Working Committee told The PUNCH that due to the ongoing crisis and the threat to the NEC meeting, the party’s Board of Trustees called for a meeting on Monday (today) in Abuja

Multiple sources disclosed that recognising the potential harm a postponement could cause to the party’s future, the reconciliation panel led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki held an emergency meeting with key stakeholders on Sunday night.

The PDP has been struggling with internal political turmoil before and after the 2023 elections.

Issues such as the political crisis in Rivers State, disputes surrounding the South South Zonal Congress, the position of National Secretary, and now the North Central Zonal Congress have further complicated the party’s stability.

Wike, backed by Governors Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ahmadu Fintiri (Taraba), and others, angered that decisions made by the National Working Committee and the PDP Governors’ Forum — largely influenced by Governors Makinde, Mbah, and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) undermined the political structure of the Minister Federal Capital Territory.

Despite interventions from key organs like the NWC, the Board of Trustees, NEC, and the Governors’ Forum, attempts at resolving the disputes have only widened internal rifts across states and zones. This ongoing discord has delayed the NEC meeting and hindered the party from making critical decisions about its direction.

The 98th NEC meeting, held on April 18, 2024, failed to resolve major issues, further fueling disunity. Though the 99th NEC meeting was initially scheduled for August 15, it faced multiple postponements—to October 24, then November 28—before being put off indefinitely.

Under increasing pressure, the PDP Governors’ Forum, led by Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed, directed the NWC in December 2024 to convene the NEC no later than February 2025. This was reiterated during a meeting on January 31 in Asaba, where March 13 was suggested as the new date. However, the meeting was again postponed on March 8 to May 15, after further internal consultations.

Eventually, during a governors’ meeting in Ibadan on April 11, a new date of May 27 was set. To ensure it goes ahead, the serving and former governors seven-member committee led by former Senate President Saraki was formed to tackle remaining challenges.

On May 18, Sunday PUNCH exclusively reported that the South East, led by Governor Peter Mbah, along with governors like Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed, as well as the PDP Board of Trustees, are opposing the Saraki-led committee’s efforts to reinstate Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.

In response to their refusal to acknowledge his allies, Anyanwu, as Secretary and yield to his demands, Minister Federal Capital Territory, Wike on Sunday officially withdrew from all prior agreements aimed at resolving the PDP’s internal crisis.

The former Rivers State Governor citing repeated violations, accused Oyo State Governor of being the “chief culprit” behind the party’s troubles.

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.

Attempts by our correspondents to obtain reactions from Governors Makinde and Mbah regarding Wike’s accusations were unsuccessful, as their Chief Press Secretaries refused to comment.

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.

A source in the NWC who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, revealed that the Saraki-led panel summoned an emergency meetings late Sunday night.

He said the meeting was to pacify all leaders and to see if there was a way the NEC meeting could hold without complicating the crisis.

He stated, “As of now, with the latest developments, it is uncertain whether the NEC meeting scheduled for Tuesday will hold. However, the Saraki-led panel is meeting with some party leaders tonight.

“Those expected to attend the meeting, either in person or virtually, include Governors Seyi Makinde, Peter Mbah, Caleb Mutfwang, PDP Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade, among others.

“This meeting is critical—it will determine whether the NEC meeting will proceed, how peaceful it will be if it does, and, by extension, the future of the party.”

Another reliable source told The PUNCH that while Wike’s faction is resolute in its efforts to prevent the NEC meeting from taking place, the group aligned with Makinde is equally determined to hold the meeting in order to legitimize their actions and proposals.

Another source told The PUNCH that the PDP Board of Trustees was scheduled to convene in Abuja on Monday to address the ongoing crisis within the party.

He stated, “Wike’s camp is doing everything possible to prevent the NEC meeting from taking place. With the way things are going, I wouldn’t be surprised if they bring a court order tomorrow to stop the NEC.

“I also know that Makinde and some other governors are making efforts to ensure the NEC meeting can hold peacefully. The Board of Trustees is expected to meet on Monday. So, the next few days will be critical for the future of the PDP.”

In a meeting notification signed by the party’s National Director of Publicity Chinwe Nnorom and obtained by The PUNCH on Sunday, the PDP confirmed that the Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for today.

The notification read in part, “The above subject refers, please. The leadership of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) has scheduled a meeting to hold as follows: on Monday, May 26, 2025 (tomorrow) at The NEC Hall (Ground Floor), PDP National Headquarters, by 3:00 PM.

“Please endeavor to attend and punctually.”

In a related development, the PDP state chapters voiced differing opinions regarding the crisis affecting the major opposition party.

The Ekiti State PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dare Adeleke, stated that the behaviour and statements of Wike indicated that he was acting against the interest of the party.

Adeleke said the action and utterances of the FCT minister and former River State governor showed that “he has a hidden agenda.”

“I think he is working against the interest of his party, PDP. It is a devilish act for anybody that has reaped from the PDP, that has benefitted immensely from the party, to now turn around saying that the party must be dead. It is quite unfortunate. This is not democracy.

“We should condem this act – it’s an attempt to turn Nigeria to a one-party state. Forget whoever is involved. You said you don’t like Siminalayi Fubara, (the River State Governor under suspension), you said you are not happy that Fubara was not impeached, you are now the one bargaining with the governors to withdraw their case from the Supreme Court.

“To me, I think that is undemocratic and highly condemnable that the likes of Wike should not be part of democracy in this country.”

Additionally, on Sunday, the Secretary of the PDP in Ogun State, Sunday Solarin, described Wike as a disengaged member of the opposition party adding that he was free to leave the party.

Solarin said, “For the past two years, what significant thing has Wike done to suggest that he is still a member of the opposition party, the PDP?

“What constructive criticism has he offered to this terrible government of the APC? What plans has he rolled out to bring the opposition back to power? Rather it has been unnecessary noise here and there.

“The truth is that Wike knows what he’s doing, he is only acting a script, he is looking for excuses to declare for APC but with or without him, the PDP will overcome its challenges.”

On his part, the Chairman of Gombe PDP, Mamman Kwaskebe, on Sunday said the party was unperturbed about what it described as the “antics” of the FCT minister.”

He said, “When Wike joined PDP he didn’t join from Gombe; he joined from his own Local Government Area in Rivers State. Whatever he is doing now is to dance to the tune of APC, we as a party will not succumb to that it’s is not part of our commitment and loyalty to PDP as a party.

“The PDP has a constitution, whatever is the level, he has done something extraordinary that no one can talk to him. We in Gombe are a PDP state.”

In Bayelsa State, PDP Chairman Solomon Agwanana stated that they had been anticipating Wike to quit the party.

Speaking to The PUNCH on Sunday, Agwanana said Wike had been working for the APC and had openly said he wanted President Bola Tinubu to return in 2027.

He added, “Though I do not know the details, the NEC is meeting on Tuesday and they will definitely address the matter.

“He is not a member of the PDP. We have been waiting for him to go and leave us alone. We know who he is working for.

“He is working for the APC and has stated publicly that he wants to return President Tinubu in 2027. That is not the only issue; he has threatened to seal our Wadada House. You can understand that he is working for his master.”

Furthermore, the PDP Sokoto State chapter spokesperson, Hassan Sahabi Sanyinnawal, declined comments on the latest development.

“We cannot talk anything about his (Wike) withdrawal at the state level, the committee was set up at the national level, so it is only the national headquarters that can talk about the development,” he added.

Also speaking, the Bauchi State PDP Publicity Secretary, Dayyabu Ciroma, declared that Wike’s time in the party is limited.

Ciroma, while stating that Nigerians were aware that Wike might not submit to reconciliation, noted that “Everyone knows that Wike is out to destroy PDP.

“All I can say is his days are numbered in PDP once the NEC meeting is conducted. The final decision is made on the party’s crisis at the office of the national secretary.”

On his part, Chief Osita Madu, former Deputy Publicity Secretary and a senior PDP figure in Anambra State, alleged that Wike was working to keep the PDP weak in order to justify maintaining ties with the APC.

He said, “Wike is an APC member in the day and PDP at night.

“The FCT minister is the real architect of the party’s present predicament. He is happy about the present state of the PDP because he knows that if PDP stabilises today, he will not have any justifiable reason to continue in the APC government, except he resigns.

“There are no two ways about it, Wike is the problem of the PDP and he should be bold enough to announce his resignation or defection from the party and stop being an APC in the day and PDP at night. Since 2023, what has he done to convince the people that he is still a member of the PDP?

“How is it possible that he is a member of this anti-people government of the APC and still claims to be a PDP member? He knows that he stands to lose out if the PDP stabilises today and that is why he is fighting tooth and nail to ensure the party remains weak.

“Truth be told Wike and the President knew what they are doing, they are looking for an excuse to perpetrate some scripts, especially in Rivers State with the 2027 elections as their aim.”