PDP tensions boil over as Wike blasts Makinde at NEC meeting

Fresh cracks within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) came to the fore on Monday night as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, launched a scathing attack on Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, accusing him of stepping into a political confrontation beyond his capacity.

Wike, speaking during the party’s 107th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, openly ridiculed Makinde’s approach to politics, drawing a sharp contrast between governance and business dealings. He declared that “politics and Shell contracts are not the same thing.”

The NEC meeting, held amid lingering internal disputes, ended with a resolution by party leaders to proceed to the forthcoming national convention as a united front, adopting a “no victor, no vanquished” approach to heal divisions.

The gathering also served as the final preparatory session ahead of the party’s elective convention scheduled for March 29 and 30, where key leadership positions will be contested.

In a communiqué jointly signed by Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Chairman and Secretary of the National Caretaker Working Committee, the NEC ratified the outcomes of ward, local government, state, and zonal congresses, describing them as credible and transparent exercises that reaffirmed the party’s internal strength.

Earlier, Abdulrahman Mohammed commended the resilience of party members in navigating recent challenges, singling out Wike for his contributions. “We have made significant progress in restoring confidence. Through collective resolve and maturity, we can now say the PDP remains one indivisible family”, he said.

A key decision reached at the meeting was the endorsement of the party’s zoning arrangement for national elective offices, a move aimed at maintaining balance and fairness across regions.

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Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, urged members to embrace the zoning formula in the interest of unity, noting that no arrangement could fully satisfy all interests but that the “greater good of the party” must prevail. He also highlighted the importance of the ongoing electronic membership registration, describing it as critical to strengthening the party’s structure.

The NEC further unveiled the theme of the upcoming convention as: “A Convention of Inclusiveness, Unity and Renewal.”

Lawmakers including Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro and House Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda echoed calls for discipline, stressing that the PDP is repositioning itself as a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Despite the reconciliatory tone of the meeting, Wike’s remarks underscored the deep-seated tensions within the party.

Turning directly to Makinde, the former Rivers State governor did not mince words. “It is unfortunate; a fight you cannot fight, you started. I didn’t want to be a contractor; I wanted to have power. You wanted money. You had a contract of over $1.7 million. Stay there as a contractor. Contract and politics are not the same thing. You can see the difference now.”

Wike also dismissed any claims that he exerts undue influence over the judiciary, pointing out that Makinde himself had benefited from a favourable court ruling in Ibadan.

He warned party members against half-hearted commitment, insisting that loyalty must be demonstrated ahead of the convention. “After this NEC meeting, anybody that doesn’t show commitment to the convention, don’t come back and tell us that ‘oh, I’m fully back.’ No, I will not accept that,” he said.

The minister further urged party faithful not to be intimidated by political heavyweights or federal influence, encouraging them to remain confident in their grassroots appeal.

“Money is not everything in this world; money has limitations. Remove fear from your body. The moment you have fear, you have already failed. Believe that you have the capacity to do this and you can do it”, he said.

As the party moves closer to its convention, Wike’s fiery comments have once again highlighted the fragile unity within the PDP, even as its leadership insists it is ready to present “purposeful leadership and national direction” to Nigerians ahead of the next electoral cycle.

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