Wike withdraws from PDP peace agreements, blames Makinde for crisis

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has withdrawn from all reconciliation agreements previously reached within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), citing repeated breaches by the party’s leadership.

In a strongly worded statement titled: “PDP Crisis: My Position”, released to the press on Sunday, Wike alleged that the breakdown of trust among key party figures, particularly Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, had undermined all efforts to stabilize the party following the 2023 general elections.

“I made it clear to Governor Seyi Makinde that he is the architect of our problems,” Wike said.

“Non-adherence to agreements is the bane of this party, and he is the chief culprit.”

The former Rivers State governor revealed that several high-level meetings had been convened to resolve the internal rift, including one involving Governors Bala Mohammed, Ahmadu Fintiri, and former Senate President Bukola Saraki, but that agreed terms were repeatedly violated almost immediately after the meetings concluded.

According to Wike, one such resolution affirmed Senator Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s legitimate National Secretary, in line with a Supreme Court ruling. The agreement also called for the withdrawal of all legal disputes concerning Rivers State, including the controversial state of emergency lawsuit.

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Despite these resolutions, Wike said Makinde and Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State worked behind the scenes to sideline Anyanwu, promoting instead the Deputy National Secretary and attempting to convene party meetings under disputed authority.

He cited as a particularly egregious example the aborted PDP zonal congress in Jos on May 24, where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declined to attend due to improper authorization on the invitation letter, which was not signed by Anyanwu.

“The gentleman’s agreement we reached at Saraki’s Guest House was already being crudely violated before the reconciliation committee, chaired by Saraki, even began its work,” Wike stated. He further alleged that Makinde had orchestrated parallel meetings in the South-East, attempting to push for Ude Okoye as National Secretary in direct defiance of party consensus.

Describing these developments as “provocative and annoying,” Wike lamented the erosion of trust within the PDP, emphasizing his long-standing loyalty to the party since 1998 and his role in securing electoral victories for many of his current critics.

“I have never made any personal demands of those I helped win elections. But it’s clear now that trust is broken, and games are still being played at the expense of the party’s future,” he said.

In conclusion, Wike declared his intention to continue advocating for what he described as justice and integrity within the PDP, but firmly outside the confines of any previously agreed frameworks.

“I have now firmly decided to pull out of all agreements hitherto reached. I have decided to fight on until justice is attained,” he said.

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