Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), says he has officially withdrawn from all agreements previously reached with stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), accusing some party leaders of betraying trust and fueling internal discord.
In a strongly worded statement on Sunday, Wike declared that key PDP figures, particularly Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, had consistently breached agreements meant to resolve the party’s lingering crises, thereby worsening divisions.
“I thought there was mutual trust among us,” Wike said. “But it’s now clear that some stakeholders are playing selfish political games to the detriment of the PDP.”
The PDP has been grappling with leadership tussles, especially over the position of National Secretary, with both Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udeh-Okoye laying claim to the seat. While Udeh-Okoye enjoys the backing of PDP governors and the South-East caucus, Anyanwu is aligned with Wike.
Wike, a former Rivers State governor, said the latest round of disagreements stems from broken promises made at a high-level reconciliation meeting hosted at former Senate President Bukola Saraki’s guest house. According to Wike, the meeting was attended by Makinde, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, and Saraki.
“At the end of that tense meeting, we reached key resolutions: Senator Samuel Anyanwu was to remain National Secretary in line with the Supreme Court’s judgment; all legal matters involving Rivers State were to be withdrawn; and the suit calling for a state of emergency in Rivers was to be dropped,” Wike recounted.
He added that despite his busy schedule, he honoured the follow-up stakeholders’ meeting at the Bauchi Government Lodge to demonstrate good faith. A reconciliation committee chaired by Saraki was established to address pending issues.
“Sadly, before the committee could begin its work, the very agreements we reached were already being undermined,” Wike said. He accused Makinde of colluding with Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah to push Udeh-Okoye’s nomination at a South-East leaders’ meeting, threatening withdrawal from the PDP if he wasn’t endorsed.
‘Makinde is the Chief Architect of the Crisis’
Wike further alleged that Makinde orchestrated moves at the PDP national secretariat to install the Deputy National Secretary as acting National Secretary—actions he claims blatantly violate prior agreements.
“In a G5 meeting held in Lagos, I told Governor Seyi Makinde to his face that he is the architect of our problems. He has made non-compliance with agreements a pattern, and that is the root cause of the party’s crisis,” Wike said.
He emphasized that his decision to go public was to set the record straight for PDP members and the general public. He expressed frustration that despite his long-standing contributions to the party—dating back to 1998—he has been repaid with betrayal.
“What hurts the most is that I supported the electoral victories of many of these governors without ever asking for personal favours,” he said. “All I asked for was loyalty to the collective agreements we made.”
Wike, who alongside Makinde was part of the influential G5 group that opposed the PDP’s 2023 presidential ticket arrangement, said trust has now completely broken down.
“I have now firmly withdrawn from all previously reached agreements. I will continue to fight until justice prevails,” he concluded.
