In a bold statement that underscores the ongoing tensions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State declared on Thursday that he is prepared to confront Nyesom Wike, the federal capital territory (FCT) minister, regarding the highly anticipated national convention. Makinde’s comments came during interactions with journalists in Lagos following a southern consultative zoning meeting of the party.
The friction between the two leaders was sparked when Wike publicly expressed his discontent about not being invited to the PDP’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting. The NEC had convened to approve Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State, as the site for the national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16. “I am not aware that they are going to a convention in Ibadan. As an NEC member, I have not been informed, nor have I been invited to the NEC meeting,” Wike stated.
Contrary to Wike’s claims, reports revealed that he had indeed been invited to the NEC meeting, raising questions about his concerns. Makinde responded to Wike’s opposition, emphasizing a commitment to collaboration despite differences. He remarked, “Personally, when people go low, or they go into the gutters, I don’t go with them.”
Earlier this month, Wike had warned that the internal strife within the PDP would persist until the party acknowledged the results of the south-south zonal congress held in Calabar, where Dan Orbih, an ally of Wike, was re-elected as chairman. However, the PDP national working committee (NWC) subsequently disowned the congress results, dismissing Orbih’s election.
Adding to the discord, several local party leaders expressed their frustration over being excluded from the recent zoning meeting, labeling it as secretive and threatening to resist its outcomes. However, Governor Makinde affirmed that the party would make concerted efforts to engage with aggrieved members. “I can disagree with people, but there shouldn’t be anything personal here. It should be about what we are giving to Nigerians because they are watching,” he stated, emphasizing a unified vision for the PDP.
The tensions within the party highlight the challenges the PDP faces as it gears up for its national convention, with key figures like Douye Diri, the governor of Bayelsa, and Adolphus Wabara, chairman of the PDP board of trustees, present at the Lagos meeting. Just last week, the NWC also established a 44-member zoning committee tasked with determining the allocation of various NWC positions to geopolitical zones prior to the convention.