Federal Capital Territory Minister and key political figure Nyesom Wike was among several prominent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who convened in Abuja on Sunday. However, notable in his absence was former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The meeting, held at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, marked the party’s first major gathering since the defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). His move follows that of his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and the collapse of the PDP structure in the state.
Former Rivers State Governor and Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, arriving at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge for the meeting of current and former PDP governors. pic.twitter.com/RGs6rN6s6c
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Attendees included Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and Kefas Agbu (Taraba).
Also present were several former governors and party stalwarts such as Ahmed Makarfi, Gabriel Suswam, Samuel Ortom, Udom Emmanuel, Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal, Babangida Aliyu, and Liyel Imoke. Key members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), including Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, National Organizing Secretary Umar Bature, and National Legal Adviser Kamardeen Ajibade, were in attendance.
The meeting, sources revealed, focused on unifying the party amid growing internal cracks and strategizing ahead of the 2027 general elections. Discussions also addressed the threat of further defections, particularly after lawmakers in Jigawa State and three PDP senators from Kebbi reportedly signaled plans to join the APC. Rumors are swirling that PDP governors from Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and the lone Southeast state could follow suit.
The defection wave has rattled the party, especially in light of public declarations by Wike and former First Lady Patience Jonathan in support of President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in 2027. Her position is seen as a blow to any potential bid by former President Goodluck Jonathan under the PDP banner.
Insiders disclosed that Sunday’s meeting also aimed to address rising tensions over the upcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for May 27, amid fears it could be disrupted or cancelled — a development that might derail plans for a national convention in August.
The meeting also reportedly touched on the unresolved leadership dispute over the party’s National Secretary position. A party source confirmed that a temporary resolution has been reached, allowing the deputy national secretary to continue in an acting capacity until the convention.
Additionally, there were deliberations over Atiku Abubakar’s status in the party. While he has not formally decamped, there is growing uncertainty about his long-term loyalty to the PDP amid rumors of a potential move to the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Some stakeholders also floated the idea of zoning the 2027 presidential ticket to the South — but under a firm, one-term agreement — in an effort to manage regional power rotation and ease tensions within the party’s Northern bloc. The proposal is contentious, with some northern voices arguing that if a Southern candidate is likely to seek two terms, it may be more pragmatic to allow President Tinubu to complete his two-term tenure, after which power could return to the North in 2031.
The PDP continues to navigate a turbulent political landscape, where defections, leadership crises, and strategic recalibrations are shaping its path toward the next election cycle.
