• Critics berate ‘constitutional aberration, desperate political show’
• PDP will field strong presidential candidate in 2027, says Pearse
• Dele Momodu: Party can defeat Tinubu if united
• Saraki-led committee meets Makinde to address crisis
The deepening crisis within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shows no signs of abating despite a controversial meeting convened on Monday by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, in what appears to be a fresh attempt to assert relevance within the troubled party.
Reacting to the development, the PDP National Vice Chairman (South-West), Mr Kamarudeen Ajisafe—who is also a member of the National Working Committee (NWC)—dismissed Wike as a political “jester,” questioning the legality and authority behind the former Rivers State governor’s latest move.
Also, the Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) strongly criticised the event, dismissing it as a futile effort by a fading political faction with zero relevance in the party’s future.
Party leaders, led by Wike concluded the emergency stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja with a series of resolutions and demands aimed at halting what they described as the party’s “inexorable drift toward extinction.”
Convened under the banner of PDP Eminent Stakeholders and Concerned Leaders, the meeting focused on mounting concerns over the party’s ongoing crisis and unresolved leadership disputes.
Addressing journalists after the closed-door session, Wike read a communiqué that highlighted deep-seated grievances, legal disputes, and a proposed roadmap the faction believes is critical to saving the party from total collapse.
Key demands made at the meeting included the reinstatement of Senator Sam Anyanwu as National Secretary. The meeting also urged the PDP leadership to demonstrate respect for Supreme Court judgments and adhere strictly to the party constitution.
The communiqué sharply criticised what it described as the “inexplicable refusal” of some party actors to comply with constitutional provisions and legal rulings, accusing them of sowing discord within the party’s highest organs, including the NWC, National Executive Committee (NEC), and Board of Trustees (BoT). Another key resolution reached at the meeting was the zoning of the 2027 presidential ticket to the South.
Meanwhile, Ajisafe noted that no member of the NWC, NEC, or even the national convention of the party participated in the meeting convened by the minister. He further described the gathering as “a desperate political show with no institutional backing.”
“The only person in that meeting who can claim any semblance of a national position is Samuel Anyanwu, the former National Secretary,” Ajisafe stated. “But even that is invalid, because Anyanwu has been suspended, and the NEC appointed Mr Setonji Koshoedo from Lagos as acting National Secretary in his place.”
He emphasised that key PDP figures such as Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Ademola Adeleke (Osun) were conspicuously absent, asserting that no serious leader in the party would lend legitimacy to Wike’s “unauthorised convocation.”
According to Ajisafe, “Wike’s position in the PDP is currently undefined. It was, therefore, a constitutional aberration for him to have summoned such a meeting in the first place. No serious governor or NWC member would attend such a charade.”
Ajisafe also hinted that Wike’s actions may be driven by desperation. “First, it is becoming clear that Wike may be receiving red signals from President Bola Tinubu due to his recent overbearing conduct, which has reportedly embarrassed the administration,” he said. “Secondly, this may be part of a broader APC game plan to destabilise and hold the PDP hostage ahead of 2027. But let me assure you that strategy will not work.”
Ajisafe’s remarks came amid heightened internal wrangling within the PDP, which has been unable to fully resolve the contentious issue of the national secretaryship. Although the NEC had appointed Koshoedo in an acting capacity following Anyanwu’s resignation to contest the Imo governorship election, Wike-backed factions continue to push for Anyanwu’s return, deepening the split between the South-South and South-West power blocs.
The silence of the PDP’s national leadership during a crucial April 18 NEC meeting, where observers expected a resolution to key leadership disputes, further fuelled discontent. Party stakeholders were particularly alarmed by the decision to defer discussions on the tenure of acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, who is widely perceived as sympathetic to Wike’s camp.
With party discipline eroding and influential blocs sharply divided, several insiders warn that the PDP risks paralysis ahead of the 2027 general elections if the crisis is not decisively addressed.
Ajisafe confirmed that a fresh NEC meeting has been scheduled for June 30, adding that formal notification has already been sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). “This time, the NEC must take firm decisions that reflect the will of the party, not the interests of any individual or clique,” he said.
Meanwhile, other stakeholders, including Board of Trustees (BoT) members, have reportedly intensified consultations behind the scenes, with some pushing for a caretaker arrangement to reset the party and enforce zoning equity ahead of 2027. As things stand, the PDP appears locked in a battle not just for unity, but for survival.
ALSO, in a statement released by its National Coordinator, Obinna Nwachukwu, the Conference of Professionals in the Peoples Democratic Party (CP-PDP) described Wike’s gathering of stakeholders as “the feeble kick of a dying partisan group.” It accused the former governor and his associates of serving as agents of the ruling All Progressives Congress in a bid to destabilise and weaken the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group also labelled the Wike-led faction as a “Tinubu Support Group.” The CP-PDP stated that Wike no longer commands the loyalty of credible PDP stakeholders and is now “surrounded by expired, feeding bottle politicians who have been roundly rejected by their own people as demonstrated in their disgraceful defeat in the 2023 elections.”
The group insisted that the PDP has moved beyond the internal wrangling of the past and is now focused on rebuilding, following the party’s successful 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on May 27, 2025.
“The FCT Minister and his group, which is best described as ‘Tinubu Support Group,’ must accept the reality that the train has since left the station; the PDP is ascending in new trajectory focusing on taking back power in 2027 in the collective interest of all Nigerians and no amount of ranting from unpatriotic and disgruntled individuals or groups can sway this resolve,” the statement read.
The CP-PDP further questioned Wike’s continued interference in PDP affairs despite what it claims is a clear forfeiture of his membership due to his public disloyalty and failure to uphold the party’s code of conduct.
“Moreover, is it not appalling that an individual who is neither an official nor a member of the PDP having lost membership upon open cessation of subscription, loyalty and adherence to the mandatory Code of Conduct of members is grandstanding in an unstructured group and attempting to pontificate and sound off on the activities of our party?” it added.
The statement reiterated: “Having lost the following of genuine and respected PDP members, the FCT Minister is now surrounded by expired, feeding bottle politicians who have been roundly rejected by their own people as demonstrated in their disgraceful defeat in the 2023 elections.”
The CP-PDP emphasised that no sincere PDP member would seek to undermine the party’s chances in 2027, especially considering the “pains and agony that Nigerians are passing through in the hands of the APC.”
“In any event, the FCT Minister should come to terms with the fact that the PDP is not the appendage of, or the Ministry of the FCT where his boss, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed him to oversee. We again counsel the FCT Minister to leave the PDP alone and stay with his allies in the APC where he has openly pitched his political tent,” the statement concluded.
The group reaffirmed that the PDP remains strong and united, with preparations already underway for a successful National Convention in August. The focus, it said, is on building a formidable coalition to unseat the APC and restore responsible governance in 2027. Wike’s camp had not responded at the time of filing this report.
PDP will field strong presidential candidate in 2027, says Pearse
A public affairs analyst and member of the 2023 Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, has dismissed concerns that the ongoing dispute over the party’s national secretaryship could derail its plans to produce a viable presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued yesterday, Pearse described the legal and internal party battles surrounding the replacement of Samuel Anyanwu with Chief Udeh Okoye as a “settled matter,” insisting that the controversy is being exaggerated by political actors loyal to President Bola Tinubu.
“There is no doubt about the ability of the PDP to produce a viable presidential candidate in 2027. The issue of the National Secretary cannot derail our convention because the courts have ruled that the decision to replace Anyanwu with Okoye is an internal party matter,” Pearse said.
He noted that all major organs of the party, including the Board of Trustees (BoT), National Working Committee (NWC), the PDP Governors’ Forum, National Executive Committee (NEC), and the South-East caucus, are unanimous in recognising Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.
“The former National Secretary, Mr Anyanwu, has been officially and legally replaced. What we are witnessing now is a desperate attempt by Anyanwu and his mentor, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to create a crisis in the party under the guise of seeking reinstatement,” he added. Pearse accused Wike of using media propaganda and public resources to undermine the PDP from within.
“They are using social media to blow this non-issue out of proportion. It’s just media propaganda. Notice how Wike continues to waste taxpayers’ money holding frivolous press conferences designed to destabilise the PDP in fulfilment of his promise to his political benefactor, Bola Tinubu,” he said.
Describing the PDP as the “only organised and credible opposition party” capable of rescuing Nigeria from the “catastrophic rule” of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pearse said rival platforms like the Labour Party are in disarray, while talks of an Atiku–El-Rufai coalition remain mere speculation.
“If the PDP becomes dysfunctional, then Mr President will realise his sinister plan to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. That must not happen,” he warned.
Pearse called on party leaders and members to sustain momentum and public engagement ahead of the 2027 polls, stressing that the struggle to oust the APC transcends partisan interest.
“We must remind Nigerians that the effort to reject Tinubu and the APC is in the interest of all citizens who desire a better quality of life. The defection of a few governors does not mean the PDP is dead in their states. In Akwa Ibom and Delta, the people have made it clear they will not defect with their governors,” he said.
He urged the PDP leadership to issue a special proclamation recognising citizens in those states who have chosen to remain loyal to the party, while calling for unity and strategic mobilisation across the country.
Pearse also pointed to recent positive developments in the party as proof of its readiness for 2027, including the successful NEC meeting held on May 27, 2025, the party’s unified stance on the alleged “illegal state of emergency” in Rivers State, and the official announcement of its national convention scheduled for August.
“The PDP is united and getting stronger in its preparations to salvage the country from APC’s eight years of misrule,” Pearse declared.
Party can defeat Tinubu if united, says Dele Momodu
A former presidential aspirant and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dele Momodu, has said the main opposition party has the capacity to defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 if its members remain united.
Momodu made the remarks yesterday while featuring on the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) monthly programme, Guest of the Month, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
According to him, the All Progressives Congress is uneasy about the PDP, recognising it as the only opposition party capable of challenging its dominance in the next general election. He attributed the alleged factionalisation of the PDP to efforts by APC leadership to destabilise the party.
“If PDP is united, it has all that it takes to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress in 2027, but forces against it would not allow this to be,” he said. “There is no way that a disunited PDP can wrest power from APC in 2027. The ideology of the ruling party is to weaken the main opposition party.”
Momodu said: “Another challenge is the problem within the party. Some of its members are being used to work against its stability and progress. But PDP is a law-abiding party. It always follows due process before making any decision on its members. It is the law that will stimulate the process of suspending or sacking erring members,” he said.
He warned that defeating Tinubu in 2027 would require a formidable team and coalition. “It is almost impossible to remove President Tinubu in 2027 unless there is a formidable team and coalition,” Momodu explained, adding that such a coalition must include political parties united by a common goal.
“Also, whoever would contest favourably against the current president must come from the opposite direction in terms of regions in Nigeria,” he added.
Saraki-led committee meets Makinde to address PDP crisis
A committee led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki has met with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde to strategise on repositioning and uniting the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The meeting, held behind closed doors in Ibadan on Monday night, marks the second time the committee has met with Makinde in the Oyo State capital, The Guardian learnt.
A source disclosed that the meeting was aimed at seeking Makinde’s input on resolving the crisis within the party. “The party will soon hold its convention in Kano. There is a need to bring all the warring factions together under one umbrella,” the source stated.
“As we all know, Makinde is a major factor to be reckoned with in the party, hence the need to always carry him along. Even though we were not privy to their discussion since it was held privately, it might not be unconnected with the resolve of the committee to end the crisis in the party.”
Saraki later confirmed the meeting in a post on his Facebook page, expressing optimism about progress made.
“Thank you, Your Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, for making time to meet with us today even though it coincided with your wife’s birthday. Warm wishes to Her Excellency Mrs Tamunominini Makinde,” Saraki wrote.
“Following today’s meeting, we remain cautiously optimistic as we forge ahead to secure a common position among the leadership of our great party,” he added.
