PDP Faction Accuses Wike of Fueling Division, Pursuing Personal Political Agenda

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has again been plunged into internal controversy as a faction of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN), accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, of deliberately instigating division within the opposition party to advance his personal political interests.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the Turaki-led NWC alleged that Wike’s recent actions and comments were part of a long-standing pattern of political agitation that has repeatedly destabilised the party. The statement followed Wike’s media interaction in Rivers State, where he linked the party’s internal crisis to ongoing struggles over gubernatorial and presidential ambitions.

Allegations of Persistent Political Agitation

According to the Turaki-led NWC, Wike has consistently positioned himself as a disruptive force within the PDP, creating internal conflicts as a strategy to conceal what it described as “selfish intentions.” The committee argued that the FCT minister’s public remarks and political manoeuvres have often deepened divisions rather than strengthened party unity.

The statement accused Wike of openly aligning with President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) while retaining membership of the PDP. The NWC described this posture as anti-party and incompatible with democratic principles, insisting that such actions undermine the collective ethos of an opposition party seeking to present itself as a credible alternative to the ruling party.

It further characterised Wike’s conduct as a “locus classicus of anti-democratic adventurism,” arguing that his repeated interventions in party affairs were aimed at personal political relevance rather than institutional stability.

Dispute Over Party Leadership and INEC Recognition

At the centre of the crisis is a leadership tussle within the PDP. Governors elected on the platform of the party have endorsed the Ibadan national convention, which produced Tanimu Turaki and other members of the NWC for a four-year term. This convention-backed leadership is now seeking formal recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In contrast, Wike’s faction constituted a 13-member caretaker committee with a 60-day mandate ahead of the convention, also laying claim to party leadership. Both groups have submitted documents to INEC, heightening uncertainty over which faction the electoral body will recognise as the authentic leadership of the PDP.

The Turaki-led NWC contended that the caretaker committee was an attempt to undermine due process and override the collective decision of the party’s elected governors and delegates.

Historical Pattern of Internal Party Conflicts

The statement also traced what it described as Wike’s long history of political agitation within the PDP. It recalled his involvement in successive leadership crises, beginning with the Ali Modu Sheriff era, where Wike initially supported Sheriff’s emergence as national chairman before later mobilising forces to remove him.

Similarly, the NWC cited Wike’s role in championing Uche Secondus for national chairman, followed by his later campaign to oust Secondus. It also pointed to Wike’s backing of Dr Iyorchia Ayu’s emergence as chairman, against the advice of several party leaders, only for him to subsequently lead the “Ayu-must-go” movement.

Beyond national leadership disputes, the faction accused Wike of fostering internal exclusionary practices in Rivers State, including the imposition of candidates and actions that, it claimed, prevented a duly nominated PDP presidential candidate from campaigning freely in a PDP-controlled state.

PDP Reaffirms Commitment to 2027 Elections

Despite the internal rift, the Turaki-led NWC reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to rebuilding itself ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party insisted that it would field a credible presidential candidate and resist any attempt by an individual to “personalize” the organisation.

The statement concluded by emphasising that the PDP remains a democratic institution guided by collective decision-making, adding that no single actor, regardless of influence or past contributions, can override the party’s structures or values.