The internal turmoil within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) worsened on Saturday as two serving governors publicly rejected the expulsion of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang issued separate statements distancing themselves from the decision, which was announced hours earlier at the ongoing PDP national convention in Ibadan.
Governor Fintiri, who chaired the 2025 elective convention, said in a post on X that removing Mr Wike was not in the party’s best interest. He warned that the move could further fracture the PDP at a time when unity is desperately needed.
“I categorically dissociate myself from the decision to expel the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from the PDP,” he wrote. “This decision does not serve the interest of the party, and I will not support any action capable of deepening our crisis.” He explained that his position was driven by the need to protect the party’s cohesion, insisting that reconciliation—not expulsion—remains the only sustainable path forward.
The PDP had also expelled former Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose, National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, and eight others for alleged anti-party activities. Mr Fintiri did not comment on their cases but reaffirmed his commitment to peace-building within the party. In Plateau State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang also distanced himself from the expulsion process. His spokesperson, Gyang Bere, said the decision was neither discussed at the PDP Governors’ Forum nor at the National Executive Committee (NEC) before it was presented on the convention floor. Mutfwang argued that expelling Wike, Fayose, Anyanwu, and the others would not help resolve the party’s internal problems. He stressed the need for unity, dialogue, and collective effort to rebuild the PDP.
The party currently governs eight states—Oyo, Osun, Rivers, Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Plateau, and Zamfara. However, the latest expulsions, widely seen as targeting Wike’s loyalists, are expected to trigger fresh legal battles. Some of those expelled had already challenged the legality of the convention in court, citing violations of the PDP Constitution. The gathering proceeded despite two separate Federal High Court orders halting it.
Mr Wike, a former Rivers State governor and influential PDP power broker, has long been accused of working against the opposition party’s interest after supporting President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid, despite retaining his PDP membership. He has denied undermining the party. His removal—and the legal disputes expected to follow—now threatens to further destabilise an already divided PDP.
