PDP Governors Warn Wike Against Derailing November Convention

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has issued a stern caution to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other party figures, urging them not to disrupt the forthcoming national convention of the party scheduled for November 15, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.

At the end of its 7th meeting held on Saturday, August 23, 2025, in Gusau, Zamfara State, the Forum reaffirmed its unwavering support for the decisions of the 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of July, which set the direction for the national convention.

In a communiqué, the governors stressed the importance of resisting every attempt to destabilize the exercise, describing the PDP as Nigeria’s most credible democratic institution and the only viable alternative to rescue the country from hardship.

“The Forum reaffirms its full commitment to the resolutions of the 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of July 2025 regarding the November 15 National Convention.

“It urges members to resist all attempts to derail the convention by anti-party forces; but to see the PDP as the only democratic institution and viable alternative for restoring Nigeria along the path of good governance and national development,” the communiqué partly read.

The session, presided over by Forum Chairman and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, discussed insecurity, the erosion of democratic values, and preparations for the Ibadan convention. It also commended PDP members and leaders for their resilience in the face of orchestrated defections, insisting that such distractions would not weaken the party’s popularity at the grassroots.

According to the governors, only a PDP-led government can restore affordable living conditions and relative security, both of which Nigerians experienced under past administrations of the party. They further accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of pursuing divisive governance and policies that worsen hardship across the nation.

Meanwhile, Wike has continued to express his grievances with the party leadership. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, the former Rivers governor rejected the South-South Caretaker Committee constituted by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and opposed the continued stay of Ali Odefa as National Vice Chairman (South East).

He warned of looming unrest if the party refused to recognize the zonal congress that elected his ally, Dan Orbih, as National Vice Chairman, South-South.

“Well, it is over for now. A few things are remaining, and I have told them that they must do it. Our congress was held in Calabar, and there’s nothing anybody can tell us. If they want to have another round of crisis, so be it. In that congress, Chief Dan Orbih emerged as the National Vice Chairman. They never wanted the congress to be held, but congress was held.

“The so-called acting national chairman of the party wrote a letter to INEC after congress was held that the congress has been postponed. There is no two ways about it. The National Vice Chairman of PDP South-South is Chief Dan Orbih. If they don’t agree, that’s another round of crisis,” Wike declared.

He also dismissed the zoning committee led by Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri. Once a close ally of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and a prominent member of the G5 bloc, Wike now finds himself at odds with former associates. Many within the PDP accuse him of anti-party activities due to his current role in the APC-led federal cabinet—an allegation he has repeatedly denied.