Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has officially withdrawn from all prior agreements within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing persistent breaches of trust and dishonesty among key party members.
The veteran politician expressed deep frustration with ongoing conflicts that have destabilized the party since the 2023 general elections.
Wike highlighted that the PDP has been plagued by internal strife caused largely by a lack of adherence to agreements, particularly pointing to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State as a central figure responsible for this erosion of trust.
He recalled a critical meeting of the G5 group in Lagos where he openly identified Makinde as the “architect” of the party’s woes. Despite attempts to reconcile, Wike noted that the breakdown continued.
Following the Lagos meeting, an expanded gathering was held at former Senate President Bukola Saraki’s guest house in Abuja, attended by several prominent governors including Makinde, Umaru Fintri, Bala Mohammed, and Saraki himself.
During this tense meeting, Wike reiterated concerns about Bala Mohammed’s role in reneging on commitments under the guise of chairing the PDP Governors Forum.
The meeting concluded with agreements affirming Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary, calls to withdraw legal suits against Rivers State, and a commitment to honor all negotiated terms.
However, Wike expressed disappointment that these agreements were violated even before the Saraki-led reconciliation committee could begin its work.
He accused Makinde of colluding with Peter Mba of Enugu State to undermine agreed decisions by rallying Southeast leaders to push for the adoption of Ude Okoye as National Secretary under threat of withdrawing from the party, a move Wike has publicly rejected.
Further complicating matters, Makinde reportedly influenced the National Secretariat to elevate the Deputy National Secretary to act as National Secretary, contravening prior agreements.
This led to conflicting communications, including a disputed letter endorsing the PDP governorship candidate in Anambra State, which was subsequently contradicted by a rebuttal issued under the direction of Makinde and Mba.
These incidents culminated in the cancellation of a well-attended PDP zonal elective congress in Jos when INEC refused to recognize the invitation sent by the Deputy National Secretary, insisting on the legally recognized signatory, Senator Anyanwu.
Wike, who has been a PDP stalwart since 1998 and a key figure in the party’s successes, underscored his commitment to the party’s survival despite feeling deeply betrayed by his colleagues.
He emphasized that his contributions to the victories of various governors were never leveraged for personal gain.
Concluding his statement, Wike declared his decision to withdraw from all previously reached agreements and affirmed his resolve to continue fighting until justice is achieved, particularly in light of the ongoing challenges in the North-Central zonal elections.
