I made it clear to the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, that he was the architect of our problems. His refusal to honour agreements reached was the root cause of the dysfunction within the party, and he remains the chief culprit
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has formally withdrawn from all reconciliation agreements previously reached within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing deep-seated betrayal, dishonesty, and repeated violations of mutual understandings by key party leaders.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Sunday, Wike traced the PDP’s lingering internal crisis to the aftermath of the 2023 general elections. He lamented a growing culture of mistrust and dishonesty among the party’s top stakeholders, which he said has derailed efforts to unify and reposition the party.
“Since after the 2023 General Election, the PDP has been wantonly swinging from one part of a slippery precipice to another,” Wike said. “Numerous attempts have been made to arrest this pernicious virus of dishonesty and treachery, but to no avail.”
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a prominent member of the G5—a group of PDP governors who dissented during the 2023 elections—squarely blamed Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for undermining reconciliation efforts. He described Makinde as the “architect of our problems,” accusing him of serially violating agreed terms and eroding party cohesion.
“I made it clear to the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, that he was the architect of our problems. His refusal to honor agreements reached was the root cause of the dysfunction within the party, and he remains the chief culprit,” Wike said.
He revealed that during a G5 meeting in Lagos, the governors had agreed to set aside their differences and chart a new course. This was followed by a broader meeting in Abuja at the residence of former Senate President Bukola Saraki. The meeting included Governors Bala Mohammed, Umaru Fintiri, and Seyi Makinde, alongside Saraki, and concluded with specific resolutions to restore internal order.
According to Wike, the key resolutions included:
Full recognition of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary in line with a Supreme Court judgment.
The withdrawal of all PDP-related court cases in Rivers State by the party’s National Legal Adviser.
A cessation of efforts to declare a state of emergency in Rivers State.
However, Wike claimed these resolutions were flagrantly disregarded before the Saraki-led reconciliation process could even begin.
“To my utter dismay, Seyi Makinde, in connivance with Peter Mba of Enugu State, orchestrated a meeting of so-called South-East leaders to push the narrative that unless Ude Okoye was adopted as National Secretary, they would withdraw from the PDP,” he alleged.
Wike further accused party leaders of a calculated attempt to sideline Senator Anyanwu by allowing the Deputy National Secretary to act in his stead. He noted that the same Deputy National Secretary issued the invitation letter for a PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting—an act Wike described as a gross violation of party agreements.
As an example of the disarray, Wike referenced the aborted zonal elective congress in Jos on May 24, 2025, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declined to attend. The electoral body reportedly refused because the letter of invitation was not signed by the duly recognized National Secretary.
“This is undeniably distasteful, provocative, and annoying, to say the least,” Wike remarked.
Reflecting on his long-standing loyalty to the PDP, which dates back to 1998, Wike expressed disappointment that those who benefited politically through his support have now turned against him.
“It is on record that none of these individuals have done half as much as I have to sustain this party,” he stated. “What is even more painful is that I played significant roles in securing election victories for most of these governors. Despite that, I have never asked any of them for personal favors, and I never will.”
Declaring a firm break with the reconciliation process, Wike said he no longer believes in the sincerity of party stakeholders and is now committed to pursuing justice independently.
“I have now firmly decided to pull out of all agreements hitherto reached. I will fight on until justice is attained,” he concluded.
As of the time of this report, the PDP has not issued an official response to Wike’s statement. Governors Makinde and Mba have also yet to respond publicly to the allegations made by the FCT Minister.