The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new turn as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has announced his withdrawal from all previously reached reconciliation agreements, declaring his intention to continue the struggle for justice within the party.
In a statement he personally signed on Sunday, Wike expressed deep frustration over what he described as persistent breaches of trust and disregard for agreements by key party figures.
He singled out Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, as a primary contributor to the lingering crisis in the party.
According to Wike, the lack of commitment to agreements reached by PDP leaders has prevented the party from healing after the 2023 general elections.
He recalled several efforts by stakeholders to stabilize the party, including meetings involving prominent figures like Governors Bala Mohammed, Umaru Fintiri, and former Senate President Bukola Saraki.He recounted a meeting of the G5 governors in Lagos where he directly confronted Governor Makinde, accusing him of undermining collective decisions.
“I made it clear to Governor Makinde that his failure to honour our agreements lies at the heart of the PDP’s persistent problems,” Wike declared.
He said subsequent meetings were convened to iron out issues, including one at Saraki’s guest house in Abuja, where a consensus was reached on key resolutions, that included the recognition of Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as the legitimate National Secretary based on a Supreme Court judgment, the withdrawal of all lawsuits relating to Rivers State by the party’s legal adviser, and halting efforts to impose a state of emergency in Rivers.
A reconciliation committee headed by Saraki was also established to address lingering grievances, he noted, while lamenting that the agreed terms were violated even before the committee began its work.
He accused Makinde of colluding with Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah to convene a meeting of South-East PDP leaders with the aim of installing Udeh Okoye as the party’s Secretary, warning that such moves were unconstitutional and divisive.
The Minister also raised concerns about actions allegedly orchestrated by Makinde to manipulate the party’s internal processes.
He pointed to a letter issued by the Deputy National Secretary convening a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, which he said was part of a larger scheme to marginalize Sen. Anyanwu and destabilize party leadership.
Furthermore, Wike criticized attempts to delegitimize a letter signed by Senator Anyanwu and the acting national chairman confirming the party’s governorship candidate for the upcoming Anambra election.
He claimed the National Publicity Secretary, acting under Makinde’s instructions, issued a rebuttal undermining the legitimacy of the candidacy confirmation.
Highlighting another example, Wike referenced the recent cancellation of a well-attended PDP North-Central zonal congress in Jos.
According to him, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to attend because the invitation was signed by an unauthorized party official, ignoring the court-recognized National Secretary.
“These constant violations of agreements and manipulation of party structures are not only provocative but also harmful to the PDP’s future.
“Such actions reflect a deeper problem of insincerity and betrayal among those who claim to be party leaders,” he lamented.
Wike expressed dismay over the conduct of those he had once supported, stressing that despite playing a crucial role in their electoral victories, he had never made personal demands or sought undue favours in return.
“I have invested significantly in this party since 1998 and contributed immensely to its growth. It is disheartening that those I supported now act in ways that undermine everything we built together,” he said, regrettably.
Affirming his complete withdrawal from all previous reconciliation arrangements, Wike asserted that he would now focus solely on fighting for justice and fairness within the PDP, asserting, “With all sincerity, I had hoped we could rebuild trust and move forward together.
“‘But since some individuals continue to subvert the party’s unity for their personal agendas, I have resolved to walk away from these flawed agreements and pursue justice until the truth prevails”.
