Wike’s Team Moves to Wreck PDP Convention, Lists Conditions; Governors Threaten Showdown
Wike’s Team Moves to Wreck PDP Convention, Lists Conditions; Governors Threaten Showdown
•Damagum: National convention sacrosanct, silence not act of cowardice
•Bala Mohammed: If anyone wants to join faction of fools, we will allow him
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Tensions are rising once more in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Governors of the opposition party have threatened a showdown following fresh demands from the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike and his loyalists.
The new conditions, tied to the party’s much-anticipated convention, is set to deepen divisions and set the stage for a fierce internal battle.
Members of the PDP loyal to Wike, met on Monday night and came up with fresh conditions for the conduct of the November 15 and 16, 2025, elective National Convention of the party slated for Ibadan, Oyo State.
Specifically, the Wike’s camp said it was opposed to any micro-zoning of offices of the National Working Committee (NWC). Against the permutations to allow some NWC members to transform to new positions, Wike and his loyalists insisted that the office of the national chairman must be retained in the North Central.
In an apparent response to the conditions given by the camp of the Minister of the FCT, National Chairman of the PDP, Amb. Illya Damagum, yesterday declared that the national convention was sacrosanct.
In the same manner, Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, stressed that there was no faction within the party, adding that, ‘’If anyone wants to join a faction of fools, we will allow him.”
Wike and his allies have been at loggerheads with the NWC and the PDP Governors over the convention, saying the conditions must be met for the peaceful conduct of the convention.
Just before the conduct of the 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the party last month at the party headquarters, National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, was said to have initially refused to sign the letter of notification to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), over Wike’s conditions, but did so after the intervention of PDP Governors.
THISDAY gathered that among those present at Monday’s meeting of the Wike’s loyalists were former Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Ayo Fayose, (Ekiti), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
The group, which tagged itself as Eminent Leaders and Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP, said having met to review the state of the party and assessed the critical issues leading to the forthcoming National Convention, agreed with the zoning committee’s recommendations, which was adopted by NEC that status quo remains, but, said “we further, and very strongly hold that there should be no form of micro-zoning for peace and stability within the party.”
The group also said the National Chairman of the party should remain in the North-Central in line with the zoning formula of the 2021 convention.
According to the group, it was “pertinent to caution that failure to comply with the above resolutions and demands shall render any purported national convention invalid, as legitimate members of the party would be disenfranchised.”
Other demands of the group include: A call on the NWC to “urgently conduct fresh, transparent, and inclusive congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra States, in line with judgments of the courts. That a fresh and legitimate South-East Zonal Congress should be conducted.
“That the outcome of the valid and legitimate South-South Congress held in Calabar, Cross River State and recognised by the court be respected. That the Ekiti State Local Government Areas Congress should be conducted immediately, in obedience to the subsisting court judgement.”
According to the communique, the PDP stands at a defining crossroads where its ability to reconcile internal disputes, uphold fairness, and respect constitutional processes will determine its future relevance.
They said unity cannot be built on disenfranchisement, exclusion, or the neglect of valid judicial pronouncements, adding that “a credible National Convention must be anchored on transparency, fairness, and respect for the rule of law as well as inclusivity.”
However, in response to the conditions given by Wike and his men, Damagum declared that the national convention was sacrosanct.
Speaking at the inauguration of the National Convention Committee, Damagum said: “Leaders, brothers and sisters of the PDP. This National Convention is of critical importance and it’s sacrosanct.
‘’The National Officers we elect will lead our great party into the next general elections and beyond. We must recognise that the challenges we face as the leading opposition are mutating, much to the dismay of well-meaning Nigerians.
“While the faction that broke out has not garnered much traction, we know that politics is dynamic, and the ruling class may seek to capitalise on or even sponsor such distractions to weaken the PDP, which remains the only dominant opposition party in our dear country, Nigeria.
‘’Permit me to share a few brief reflections, which I believe will help underscore the importance of this committee’s work. By fate and through political outcomes, I did not contest as National Chairman of the PDP; I was elected as Deputy National Chairman (North). Yet, for nearly two years now, first in an acting capacity and now substantively, I have been entrusted with chairing the affairs of this great party.
‘’Since assuming this responsibility, I have laboured with sincerity and utmost commitment to steady the ship of our party. In this period, we have pursued reconciliation, worked to reposition our structures, and ensured that despite challenges, the PDP remains the leading voice of the opposition and the enduring hope of millions of Nigerians. On this, we have succeeded.”
He added: ‘’But let me be clear; this success has only been made possible by silence and tolerance on my part. Not because I enjoy being disparaged, but because at critical moments, I chose restraint, not out of weakness, but as a conscious sacrifice for the survival and stability of our Party.
‘’Ironically, many of the destructive voices have come from individuals who have benefited immensely from the PDP. They sought to sow division and weaken our structures. Yet history will record, and analysts will debate, but the consensus will remain that in a time of great difficulty, this National Working Committee, under my leadership, held the line and did a remarkable job.
‘’Today, I say with conviction that the PDP is not broken. The PDP is not defeated. The PDP is marching forward; stronger, more determined, and better prepared to fulfill our overriding objective: to reclaim the presidency of this great country and rebuild Nigeria from the mismanagement of the current ruling party.”
Speaking further, he said: ‘’This mission is critical. The recent by-elections across the country, as well as the local government elections in Port Harcourt, speak for themselves. Opposition parties were met with intimidation and blatant rigging. The ruling party has shown no regard for democracy; their only interest lies in disenfranchising voters and stealing mandates.
“I will not dignify their actions by calling it ‘winning.’ Just as during the military era, when the founding fathers of our great party courageously accepted the responsibility of challenging the existing power structure, today we, too, accept this responsibility—to rescue Nigeria’s democracy from undemocratic forces and to save our nation from this ongoing bastardisation.”
In his speech, Bala Mohammed said, ‘’We believe we have done it before, and we believe we will do it very well. The Governors are with you, members of this party, and, of course, members of this important committee.
‘’We are with the NWC. We appreciate the sacrifice they are making. And, of course, we are men that have brought consensus. We are on the way forward. We certainly can’t wait. The time has come when we must flex our muscles.
‘’We are not cowards, and we are not afraid of anybody. We are capable of navigating this party beyond the shenanigans, beyond the arrogance, and beyond the impunity of others. We cannot continue to take part and allow people to take us to the slaughterhouse. That’s our job. And our job is to make sure we don’t go to the slaughterhouse.
‘’And we are working as Governors and working with the committee to ensure that the key word is discipline. We will no longer allow or tolerate anybody to take us for granted.
‘’It has to stop. Enough is enough. We are not going to tolerate it any longer. Yes, consensus. Yes, accommodation. But accommodation cannot mean stupidity and definitely, Mr. Chairman, we are with you on this journey as Governors. And we will show that we believe in the capacity of the regulator, INEC. If anybody wants to become a faction of fools, we will allow him to go and do it.”
In his speech, the Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, who was represented by the Secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi said the work of the Convention Planning Committee was quite challenging.
“The National Convention is not about excluding anybody, it’s also not a denial of the majority to have their way, because that’s what democracy is all about.
“Convention is not about 100 per cent but about the overwhelming majority. If you have 100 per cent fine. In that direction, the party has zoned its positions, North, South. North can sit and do what they wish. South can sit and do what they wish.
“But that should not deny any individual who disagrees by testing his will. Buy the form, go to the field and test your capacity. So, there’s no need to raise temperature, because there will be no, and there should be no exclusion. That has been the tradition since PDP was formed,” he stated.
Also, the Deputy National Chairman, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja said the PDP belongs to all and not to anybody or a group of people. According to him, ‘’PDP will not die. We are ready to move and we are already moving.
Nigerians, he said, know that the credible alternative is the PDP and that it is we heading back to Aso Rock, noting that PDP is great and remains great.
In his acceptance speech, Governor of Adamawa State, who is the Chairman of the National Convention Committee, Ahmadu Fintiri, pledged a transparent national convention where all would participate.
He pledged to replicate the 2021 national convention that elected the outgoing party leadership.
He added: ‘’We are going to make sure that we put more in our assignment, drawing from the constitution of this party, to make sure that we create consensus and we reconcile some of our members, so that we can go to Ibadan to make history that will give us a credible and better NWC, that will see us through to 2027 election.
‘’I have declared the secretariat open and I have kick-started the work of this convention until we deliver what is expected of us by the 15th of November in Ibadan. I want to urge members of this committee to work hard.
“Everyone of us should make sure you leave your comfort zone, make sacrifices and ensure you are always available for every meeting so that we can plan and ensure that we deliver the best, the fairest and the most credible convention ever.
“This is so that we can open a gateway for some of us that have shifted sides, because I still believe there is no ADC in this country. It will still fizzle away so long as we get our acts together, so long as we do what is expected of us.”
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•Damagum: National convention sacrosanct, silence not act of cowardice•Bala Mohammed: If anyone wants to join faction of fools, we will allow him Chuks Okocha in Abuja Tensions are rising once
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