In the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the gloves are off. The two main camps in the PDP are prepared for a war for the soul of the party before the November National Convention, planned to place in Ibadan, Oyo State.
After a late-night meeting on Monday, a PDP faction led by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Mr. Nyesom Wike cited court orders and presented a six-point demand that the National Working Committee (NWC), the party hierarchy, meet prior to the national convention.
In response to their six-point ultimatum, the party swiftly adopted a harsh position against former governors Wike (Rivers), Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu). It will not be hijacked or blackmailed, the party said.
PDP National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum, Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State and chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Ahmadu Fintiri, the chairman of the Convention Committee and governor of Adamawa State, and Senator Adolphus Wabara, the former Senate President and chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, publicly confronted the threats to the party’s unity yesterday at the inauguration of the 2025 National Convention Organising Committee (main committee) in Abuja.
Six demands by Wike’s camp
Wike and his allies had demanded:
*Fresh congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra states, in line with court rulings;
*A new South-East zonal congress;
*Immediate conduct of Ekiti LGA congresses;
*Respect for South-South congresses’ outcome upheld by the courts;
*An end to micro-zoning beyond the NEC’s approved formula; and,
*Retention of the national chairmanship position in the North Central.
They issued a warning that the upcoming conference would be void if these conditions were not met.
PDP govs’re not cowards, not afraid of anybody – Mohammed
But Bala Mohammed’s response was direct. PDP governors, he said, will not permit the party to be led into self-destruction.
“We don’t fear anyone; we’re not cowards. However, we cannot remain silent and let others lead us to the slaughterhouse. That’s what they do. It is our responsibility to prevent us from visiting the slaughterhouse. We won’t permit it.
“Being accommodating does not equate to being foolish. We will let anyone who wishes to organize a group of idiots do so.
We won’t buckle under pressure – Damagum
Damagum, the National Chairman, reaffirmed the defiance by saying the party would not give in to coercion.
He declared: “I firmly believe that the PDP remains intact today. The PDP has not lost. The PDP is advancing with greater strength, resolve, and readiness to retake the presidency of our magnificent nation and restore Nigeria after the current ruling party mishandled it.
In an attempt to undermine the PDP, Damagum charged that the ruling All Progressives Congress, or APC, was supporting internal saboteurs. “The ruling party has demonstrated no regard for democracy,” he stated. They are just interested in stealing mandates and denying voters the right to vote.
“We must save Nigeria’s democracy from undemocratic forces, just as our founding fathers once opposed the military.”
Few can’t hold majority hostage – Wabara
Senator Wabara’s representative, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, urged moderation. However, he also cautioned that a small number of people will not hold the majority captive.
“The convention planning committee has a difficult job. It’s not about keeping anyone out. However, democracy is about allowing the majority to win, thus it is also not about denying them that right.
“A convention is about the vast majority, not about complete agreement. That’s what the convention ought to represent,” he stated.
Nobody’ll derail convention – Fintiri
Adamawa Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who chairs the convention committee, promised to hold a free and fair convention. He made it plain that the process will not be halted by any amount of pressure, either from inside or outside the party.
“I won’t prioritize our relationships over this gathering. I’ll complete my assignment. No one shall be excluded from the opportunity to challenge any position. Purchase the forms, send them in, and see how well-liked you are by the delegates. That’s how democracy operates,” he said.
Fintiri snapped, accusing PDP members of regularly taking their problems to the media: “Let’s not take all our matters to the media.” It’s getting too embarrassing.
“If you’re a party animal, you resolve conflicts within the group. This process will not be derailed by lack of discipline or blackmail.
He urged members to put aside their self-interests and promised that his committee would provide “the fairest and most credible convention ever.”
“Work has started, and the secretariat is open. And I urge every committee member to put aside their own comforts in order to guarantee that we have an open, successful convention that will make it abundantly evident that the PDP is alive, unified, and prepared to seize power,” Fintiri stated.
Leaders of the party have stated that they will no longer back down from threats. The PDP leadership maintained that discipline, the desire of the majority, and the party’s willingness to regain power would determine the party’s destiny, notwithstanding the demands made by Wike and his supporters.
How Wike’s camp raised fresh hurdles
Ortom, Fayose, Ikpeazu, and Ugwuanyi stated at a high-level stakeholders’ gathering on Monday night at Wike’s Abuja home that the PDP needs to revert to its principles of equality, justice, and inclusivity if it wants to continue to be a viable option for Nigerians.
Senator Sam Anyanwu, the party’s national secretary, attended the meeting as well.
The stakeholders cautioned that if their requests are not met, “any purported national convention will be invalid, as legitimate members of the party will be disenfranchised,” in a statement released early yesterday on behalf of the group and signed by Ortom.
The PDP is at a “defining crossroads,” the leaders emphasized, and any attempt to defy court decisions or marginalize legitimate members will only further rifts.
“Disenfranchisement, exclusion, or disregard for legitimate judicial rulings cannot be the foundation of unity,” they stated. They went on to say that a credible convention could only be ensured by openness and equity. The PDP leadership was warned by the stakeholders that disregarding these resolutions could cause the party to experience more crises.
“Inclusion, equity, and justice served as the cornerstones upon which the PDP was founded. The party must now put aside its selfish interests and embrace collective responsibility if it hopes to regain its position as Nigeria’s legitimate opposition, they argued.
