PDP Crisis: Wike withdraws from reconciliation deals, accuses Makinde of betrayal

Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, says he has withdrawn from all reconciliation agreements previously reached within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement issued on Sunday, Wike accused several party leaders of betrayal, dishonesty, and persistent breaches of mutual understandings.

The PDP chieftain attributed the party’s internal crisis to the aftermath of the 2023 general elections, describing the party’s trajectory as a descent into “dishonesty and lack of trust amongst its key stakeholders.”

“Since after the 2023 General Election, the PDP has been wantonly swinging from one part of a slippery precipice to another,” he said, adding that numerous attempts had been made to “arrest this pernicious virus of dishonesty and treachery.”

Wike, a former Rivers State governor and a leading figure in the influential G5 group, pointed to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State as a major obstacle to peace, accusing him of being the “architect of our problems.”

“I made it clear to the Governor of Oyo State, HE, Seyi Makinde, that he was the architect of our problems, pointing out to him that non-adherence to agreements reached was the bane of the party, and that he was the chief culprit of this anomaly,” Wike stated.

He recalled that during a G5 meeting in Lagos, governors agreed to move past their differences.

“A follow-up meeting held at Senator Bukola Saraki’s Abuja residence brought together top party leaders including Governors Bala Mohammed, Umaru Fintiri, Makinde, and Saraki himself.

Wike noted that this Abuja meeting produced specific resolutions: recognition of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the PDP National Secretary in line with a Supreme Court ruling, the withdrawal of all court cases concerning Rivers State by the National Legal Adviser, and the discontinuation of efforts to declare a state of emergency in Rivers.

However, Wike said these agreements were flagrantly violated before the Saraki-led reconciliation committee could even begin its work.

“To my chagrin, Seyi Makinde had connived with Peter Mba of Enugu State to orchestrate the summoning of the meeting of so-called South-East leaders to recommend that if Ude Okoye was not adopted as Secretary, they would pull out of the PDP,” he alleged.

He further accused party leaders of sidelining Anyanwu by pushing the Deputy National Secretary as acting National Secretary and using a letter from him to convene a National Executive Committee meeting—actions Wike described as being “in complete violation of the agreements reached.”

Wike cited a specific incident on May 24, 2025, in Jos, where a zonal PDP congress was aborted due to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) refusal to attend.

According to Wike, INEC declined to participate because the invitation letter was signed by the Deputy National Secretary rather than the legally recognized National Secretary.

“This is undeniably distasteful, provocative and annoying, to say the least,” Wike declared.

Reflecting on his involvement with the PDP since 1998, Wike expressed disappointment in those he said he had helped rise politically.

“It is on record that none of these persons have done anything close to what I have done to sustain this party. What is more painful is that I contributed substantially to most of these governors winning their elections, yet I have not made any personal demands on any of them and I would never do so,” he said.

Declaring an end to his participation in reconciliation efforts, Wike said he no longer believes in the trust and solidarity once shared among party stakeholders.

“I have now firmly decided to pull out of all agreements hitherto reached. I have decided to fight on until justice is attained,” the FCT minister concluded.

As of the time of filing this report, the PDP had not issued an official statement in response to Wike’s declaration. Governors Makinde and Mba also had not publicly addressed the minister’s claims.