Less than 48 hours before the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has withdrawn from all agreements made to facilitate a peaceful resolution of the party’s crisis.
The NEC meeting of the party, which has not been cancelled or postponed, is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27, 2025.
Wike cited significant violations of these agreements by stakeholders, particularly led by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and declared his intention to “fight on until justice is achieved.”
The FCT Minister indicated that he had informed Governor Makinde that he was the architect of the party’s current issues, stating that he had conveyed to Makinde that “failure to adhere to the agreements made was the root cause of the party’s troubles, and that he was the primary offender of this situation.”
In a statement released on Sunday, titled “PDP Crisis: My Position,” which he signed, Wike affirmed that, in accordance with previous resolutions made by party stakeholders, Senator Samuel Anyanwu continues to serve as the National Secretary of the PDP, consistent with the Supreme Court ruling; all legal matters concerning Rivers State must be retracted by the National Legal Adviser; the lawsuit regarding the State of emergency should be withdrawn immediately; and that all parties must adhere to the agreements established, which must be honored by everyone involved.
Wike provided comprehensive details regarding prior meetings and agreements made to resolve the party’s crisis, noting that despite his concerns, he had initially consented before observing blatant violations.
The statement read: “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. To stem this ugly trend, efforts have been made to arrest this pernicious virus of dishonesty and treachery and enthrone fidelity to agreements with a view to stabilising the party and moving 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, HE. 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 HE. Seyi Makinde, HE. Umaru Fintri, HE. Bala Mohammed, HE. Bukola Saraki, and in Saraki’s guest house. In that meeting, I made it clear that I had no personal problems with HE. Bala Mohammed, except that he hides under the facade of Chairman of 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 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.
“In light of the foregoing, they pleaded with me to attend the stakeholders’ meeting at the Bauchi Government Lodge, regardless of my many engagements. I attended the meeting and clearly reiterated my earlier concerns, and to this end, and in order to resolve all other lingering and pending issues, a committee was formed, headed by HE. Bukola Saraki.”
The minister expressed disappointment in observing that “even before the Bukola Saraki-led reconciliation Committee began its work, the gentleman’s agreement we reached at Saraki’s Guest House was already being crudely violated. To my chagrin, Seyi Makinde had connived with Peter Mba 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. I have since granted an interview to the effect that the resolution of the Southeast leaders cannot hold.”
Continuing to discuss the purported involvement of Makinde in undermining the agreements, Wike said, “again, 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. To attempt to give credence to this farce, a letter was written by the Deputy National Secretary, calling for a meeting of the NEC of the party.
“Furthermore, the letter confirming the candidacy of the Governorship candidate of the party in the forthcoming Governorship elections in Anambra State, duly signed by the National Secretary, Senator Anyanwu, and the acting National Chairman, was portrayed as rejected by the party through a rebuttal letter signed by the National Publicity Secretary, acting on the orders of Seyi Makinde and Peter Mba. All these actions are in complete violation of the agreements reached and would not do the party any good whatsoever. 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 of the party. INEC refused to attend because the proper signatory recognised by law, that is Senator Samuel Anyanwu, was not a signatory to the invitation notice. This is undeniably distasteful, provocative, and annoying, to say the least.”
“I have painstakingly put out all these facts so that PDP members and the general public would know the truth. I have been in this party since 1998 and have worked tirelessly for the survival of this party with all my strength, and it is on record that none of these persons have done anything close to what I have done to sustain this party. What is more painful is that I contributed substantially to most of these governors winning their elections, yet I have not made any personal demands on any of them, and I would never do so.
“Most importantly, I had thought that we could keep the trust amongst us, but since it is now obvious that they would continue to play games to the detriment of the party, as is the case in the current debacle in the North-Central zonal elections, I have now firmly decided to pull out of all agreements hitherto reached. I have decided to fight on until justice is attained.”.
