Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has criticised Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, over the ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the governor initiated a battle he cannot win.

Wike made the remark on Monday during a meeting of a faction of the party’s national leadership, escalating tensions between rival camps following the nullification of the party’s 2025 national convention by the court of appeal.

The crisis has deepened divisions within the PDP, with both factions trading blame and positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections. Makinde, aligned with the opposing camp, had earlier accused Wike’s allies of backing President Bola Tinubu’s second-term ambition.

Responding, Wike dismissed Makinde’s stance, warning that he had entered into a political confrontation without the strength to prevail.

Despite the dispute, leaders of Wike’s faction insist that the party’s scheduled national convention will proceed as planned, expressing confidence in the PDP’s chances as a viable opposition if members remain united.