The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has announced his withdrawal from all reconciliation efforts within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing betrayal, dishonesty, and the breakdown of trust among party leaders.
In a statement released on Sunday, Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a prominent member of the G5 group, laid blame squarely on Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, whom he accused of undermining peace efforts and violating critical agreements made to resolve the PDP’s internal crisis.
“I made it clear to the Governor of Oyo State, HE, Seyi Makinde, that he was the architect of our problems,” Wike stated, accusing him of “non-adherence to agreements” and of working with Governor Peter Mba of Enugu State to frustrate party unity.
Wike traced the ongoing crisis to the aftermath of the 2023 general elections, lamenting what he called the party’s “steady descent into dishonesty and treachery.” He expressed frustration over repeated breaches of resolutions reached during meetings of party leaders, including a key gathering hosted by Senator Bukola Saraki in Abuja.
At that meeting, attended by governors Bala Mohammed, Umaru Fintiri, and Makinde, party stakeholders reportedly agreed to uphold the Supreme Court-recognised position of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary, drop all legal actions regarding Rivers State, and avoid further agitation over a possible state of emergency in the state.
However, Wike alleged that even before the Saraki-led reconciliation committee could begin its work, Makinde and Mba conspired to call a meeting of South-East PDP leaders, threatening to leave the party if Ude Okoye was not appointed as Secretary.
He also condemned the PDP’s decision to allow the Deputy National Secretary act in Anyanwu’s capacity, calling it a “deliberate violation” that has led to institutional embarrassment, including the recent aborted zonal congress in Jos. According to Wike, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) boycotted the congress due to procedural flaws, including an invitation signed by an unauthorized official.
Reflecting on his long-standing loyalty to the party since 1998, Wike lamented what he described as betrayal by individuals he helped into office.
“It is on record that none of these persons have done anything close to what I have done to sustain this party… yet I have not made any personal demands on any of them,” he said.
Declaring his decision to withdraw from all reconciliation processes, Wike said he would continue to “fight on until justice is attained,” signaling a renewed chapter of internal conflict for Nigeria’s main opposition party.
As of press time, the PDP, along with Governors Makinde and Mba, had not officially responded to Wike’s declaration.
