The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new dimension, with a fierce power struggle emerging between Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Once political allies and key members of the influential G-5 governors’ bloc, Makinde and Wike have found themselves on opposing sides of the PDP’s unfolding leadership tussle — a development that threatens to further destabilize the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former G-5 alliance — which included then governors of Abia (Okezie Ikpeazu), Enugu (Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi), and Benue (Samuel Ortom) — had rallied for a southern presidential ticket in the lead-up to the 2023 elections, opposing the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar. Their rebellion was instrumental in the PDP’s electoral misfortune and the eventual victory of President Bola Tinubu.
However, political interests have since shifted. Makinde, now aligned with Governors Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Peter Mbah of Enugu, is backing the PDP national leadership’s effort to stabilize the party. Meanwhile, Wike — who is supporting Tinubu’s re-election — is leading a rival faction with the backing of Governors Caleb Muftwang (Plateau) and Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa).
The rift came to a head following a tense meeting in Ibadan, where PDP governors reportedly rejected efforts by the Saraki-led reconciliation committee to reinstate Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary. Wike saw this as a betrayal and responded by convening a meeting in Abuja with fellow former G-5 governors — excluding Makinde — to outline his conditions for peace within the party.
Sources told The PUNCH that the Wike-led group is pushing for the postponement of the PDP national convention, currently scheduled for August 2025, to consolidate control ahead of the 2027 polls. However, party insiders have dismissed the demand, stating that the convention will go ahead as planned.
In a communique issued after their Abuja meeting, the Wike faction criticized the appointment of Sunday Ude-Okoye as National Secretary, describing it as a recipe for chaos. They reaffirmed Senator Anyanwu as the legitimate National Secretary and demanded the zoning of the 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
Reacting to the turmoil, PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) member Chief Olabode George warned Wike against attempting to hijack the party. He insisted that only the National Executive Committee (NEC) — which is set to meet on June 30 — has the authority to make decisions on party matters.
“This party belongs to all of us. Nobody, no matter how highly placed, can act as an emperor here,” George stated. “We will follow the rules. Let the NEC decide.”
Former National Secretary and fellow BoT member, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri, criticized Wike’s open support for President Tinubu, saying such a move was the ultimate betrayal of the PDP.
“If the party were serious about discipline, Wike would have been expelled by now,” he said. “He claims to be PDP, yet supports APC. That’s unacceptable.”
Other party leaders, including former PDP South-West Vice Chairman Eddy Olafeso, South-West PDP Vice Chairman Kamoru Ajisafe, and Bauchi State PDP Publicity Secretary Dayyabu Ciroma, all reaffirmed their support for the convention and insisted that the party’s national leadership will handle all matters regarding the secretaryship and convention timelines.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State chapter of the PDP has distanced itself from Wike’s Abuja meeting, describing it as a gathering of “followers and friends,” with no bearing on the party’s official processes. Publicity Secretary Michael Ogunsina said Wike’s group was acting outside party structure and noted that Governor Makinde met with Senator Bukola Saraki at the same time as the Abuja meeting.
As the crisis escalates, many within the PDP fear that the bitter feud between Atiku and Wike — underpinned by a battle for control of the party’s structure — could undermine any chance of electoral resurgence in 2027. While Wike pushes for influence from within, his open alignment with the ruling APC continues to spark outrage and deepen mistrust among PDP loyalists.
With the NEC meeting drawing near, the future of the PDP may hinge on whether it can navigate this internal turmoil and unite under a common vision — or fracture under the weight of ambition and unresolved grievances.
