PDP Power Struggle: Makinde, Wike at Loggerheads as Old Alliance Fractures

A fresh battle for control within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has emerged, pitting Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, against the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

Once close allies, both politicians played a decisive role in the 2023 general election by supporting President Bola Tinubu and opposing their party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Their defiance was part of a broader rebellion led by the influential G-5 governors — Makinde, Wike, and former governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Samuel Ortom (Benue) — who demanded the PDP’s presidential ticket be zoned to the South.

However, their demands were brushed aside as Atiku Abubakar, a northerner, clinched the PDP ticket at the party's national convention, deepening internal rifts that now appear to be widening into open confrontation.

The once-solid alliance within the ranks of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues to crumble, as Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike now find themselves on opposing sides of a deepening internal feud.

Makinde, now aligned with Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah, is no longer politically aligned with Wike. In contrast, Wike has secured the backing of Governors Caleb Muftwang of Plateau and Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, further entrenching the divide within the party.

Tensions reached a boiling point during a recent meeting of PDP governors in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where the group reportedly rejected the proposed reinstatement of Senator Samuel Anyanwu — a decision driven by the Bukola Saraki-led reconciliation committee. The rejection, perceived by Wike as a direct betrayal by Makinde, has further strained relations between the former allies.

Makinde is now operating in close coordination with the PDP’s national leadership, which has scheduled the party’s 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting for June 30 and set August 2025 for its national convention.

In a renewed bid to assert influence within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike on Monday rallied members of the defunct G-5—excluding Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde—to lay down his terms for reconciliation within the party.

Sources told The ESSENTIAL that the Wike-aligned bloc is quietly advocating for a postponement of the party’s national convention, scheduled for August 2025, in a strategic move aimed at consolidating control ahead of the 2027 general elections.

However, PDP leaders who spoke to The PUNCH on Tuesday dismissed any possibility of rescheduling the convention. They affirmed that despite Wike’s press briefing in Abuja and the renewed activities of the G-5, the party remains committed to holding its 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on June 30 and proceeding with the convention as planned.

At Monday’s meeting in Abuja, Wike was joined by former G-5 members — Samuel Ortom (Benue), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu) — to discuss the party’s direction and outline conditions for peace and unity within the PDP.

In a communiqué issued at the end of their Abuja meeting on Monday, the Wike-led faction of the defunct G-5 warned that the decision by PDP governors to support Sunday Ude-Okoye as National Secretary over Senator Samuel Anyanwu could trigger further instability within the party.

Describing the move as a “recipe for chaos,” the group cautioned that such actions could deepen existing divisions and undermine ongoing reconciliation efforts.

The PDP, Nigeria’s leading opposition party, has been grappling with internal turmoil, largely fueled by a lingering power struggle between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike — a rivalry that continues to shape the party’s internal dynamics ahead of the 2027 elections.

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) continues to escalate, rooted in a fierce contest for control of the party’s structure between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, both of whom are positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general election.

Atiku, widely believed to be eyeing the party’s presidential ticket for a third consecutive time, faces growing resistance from Wike, who has openly declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid. Wike, insiders say, is working strategically to weaken the PDP from within, limiting its capacity to mount a serious challenge against the incumbent.

The internal struggle has reignited calls for the removal of the party’s National Chairman, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who is believed by many within the party to be aligned with Wike’s camp. Atiku loyalists argue that Anyanwu’s continued leadership threatens party cohesion and could derail its chances in the next electoral cycle, as Wike’s influence within the PDP hierarchy continues to raise alarms over neutrality and long-term stability.

In a firm declaration issued at the end of their recent meeting, the Wike-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the party to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, citing the principles of fairness, inclusion, federal character, and adherence to the party's constitution.

The group stated, “In the spirit of fairness, inclusion, federal character principles and respect for our party constitution, the party must make an unequivocal announcement, zoning its presidential candidate to the South in the 2027 general election.”

The faction also reaffirmed its support for Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP, urging the party to comply with the Supreme Court's judgment, which they argue validates Anyanwu’s position.

Reinforcing Anyanwu’s authority, the group stressed: “In line with the provisions of our party constitution, only the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, can issue notices of meetings of the National Convention, National Executive Committee, National Caucus, and the National Working Committee. All notices not issued by him, and actions based on such notices — including correspondences with the Independent National Electoral Commission — are null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”

The statement underscores the growing tension between opposing camps within the PDP, as the battle for dominance ahead of 2027 threatens to deepen existing divisions and test the party’s cohesion.