FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has publicly accused Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of being the “architect” of the Peoples Democratic Party’s ongoing crisis, citing repeated breaches of reconciliation agreements
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has publicly pointed fingers at Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, labelling him the “architect” of the ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
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In a statement released to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday, Mr. Wike outlined a series of allegations against Makinde, claiming his actions have continuously sabotaged efforts to resolve the party’s deep-seated issues.
Wike, a prominent figure who led the G5 governors – a group of PDP governors previously aggrieved with the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and then-National Chairperson Iyorchia Ayu – asserted that the PDP’s struggles since the 2023 general election stem from a fundamental lack of trust and honesty among its leaders.
According to Wike, during a G5 meeting in Lagos, he directly confronted Governor Makinde, stating that “non-adherence to the agreements reached was the bane of the party and that he was the chief culprit of this anomaly.”
Despite an initial resolution to “bury the hatchet and make progress,” Wike claims subsequent agreements have been consistently violated.
A follow-up meeting in Abuja, attended by top PDP leaders including the party’s Acting National Chairperson, Bala Mohammed, saw tensions rise.
Wike accused Mohammed of reneging on previous agreements. Nevertheless, resolutions were reportedly made, including that Senator Samuel Anyanwu should remain the national secretary of the PDP, in line with a Supreme Court judgment, and that all Rivers State-related litigations must be withdrawn.
In that meeting, I made it clear to the Governor of Oyo State, HE. Seyi Makinde said that he (Makinde) was the architect of our (PDP) problems, pointing out to him that non-adherence to the agreements reached was the bane of the party and that he was the chief culprit of this anomaly.
However, Wike expressed dismay, alleging that even before a reconciliation committee, headed by Bukola Saraki, could commence its work, the “gentleman’s agreement” reached was “crudely violated.”
He specifically accused Seyi Makinde of conniving with Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah to orchestrate a meeting of South-East leaders, threatening to pull out of the PDP if Sunday Ude-Okoye was not adopted as national secretary.
Wike also alleged that Makinde organised elements within the National Secretariat to insist on the Deputy National Secretary acting as National Secretary, directly contravening earlier agreements.
He further lamented that Messrs. Makinde and Mohammed allegedly portrayed as rejected a letter confirming the candidacy of the PDP governorship candidate in Anambra State, despite it being “duly” signed by Senator Anyanwu.
Wike highlighted an aborted zonal elective congress in Jos, attributing its failure to an invitation letter sent by the Deputy National Secretary instead of the legally recognised signatory, Senator Anyanwu, leading to INEC’s refusal to attend.
Wike, who officially remains a PDP member despite serving in President Bola Tinubu’s APC administration, has consistently refuted accusations of sabotaging the PDP.
In his Sunday statement, he declared his decision to “pull out of all agreements hitherto reached” and “fight on until justice is attained” within the opposition party, citing continued “games to the detriment of the party.”
He emphasized his substantial contributions to the party’s sustenance and to many governors winning their elections, asserting that he has never made personal demands on any of them.
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The ongoing internal contest for the authentic national secretary of the PDP between Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Udeh-Okoye remains a central point of contention, having traversed various courts up to the Supreme Court.
