Palpable fear and anxiety have grown among members and supporters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State over the uncertain future of the party. The PDP, which has been the ruling party in the state for the past six years, had been seen by many of its members as a reliable platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, the deepening internal crisis is now causing serious concern among party loyalists, with many expressing worry over their political prospects. Several members, who spoke with journalists on the condition of anonymity, admitted they were anxious about what lies ahead.
Their apprehension stems from the worsening strained relationship between the former Governor of Rivers State and current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde. The two politicians were previously close allies during the 2023 general elections, but the ongoing discord between them is now casting a shadow over the party’s stability and future.
Tensions escalated on Thursday ahead of the PDP National Elective Convention scheduled to hold in November in Ibadan, Oyo State, as the faction loyal to Wike rejected the Southern Leaders’ Zoning Consultative meeting which was held in Lagos. Wike’s camp has remained firm in its opposition to the planned convention, citing unresolved disputes over the zonal leadership structures in the South-South and South-East regions.
In contrast, Governor Seyi Makinde and other governors aligned with him are determined to ensure that the convention goes ahead as planned, in accordance with the provisions of the party’s constitution.
Hours before the Lagos meeting on Thursday morning, several key stakeholders in the PDP, including State Chairmen, former Governors, National Assembly members, current and former members of the National Working Committee, and other influential figures from Southern Nigeria, publicly distanced themselves from the meeting. They issued a joint statement disowning the gathering, which they claimed was convened without proper consultation or inclusion of key stakeholders.
The PDP leaders stated that they rejected “any resolutions, communiqués, or outcomes purportedly emanating from this meeting as neither binding on, or reflective of, the collective will and aspirations of the PDP family across Southern Nigeria,” adding that “Decisions reached in secrecy and exclusion cannot and shall not assume the authority of consensus.”
The statement was signed by the State Party Chairmen of Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers States, namely Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah, Barr. Venatuis Ikem, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Akpan, and Aaron Chukwuemeka respectively. Also signatories were the National Vice Chairman (South-East), Hon. Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. O. K. Chinda.
Other signatories included Senators Igwe Nwagu, Mao Ohuabunwa, George Sekibo, Mike Ama Nnachi, former National Secretary Rt. Hon. Onwe S. Onwe, Deputy National Legal Adviser Barr. Okechukwu Osuoha, former Ebonyi State Legal Adviser Barr. Mudi Erhenede, and others.
In the statement titled “Re: Purported Meeting Of PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit,” the leaders wrote: “The attention of the undersigned State Chairmen of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) from the South and some critical stakeholders has been drawn to a meeting nichodimously summoned in Lagos today 21st August 2025 by some persons purporting to do so on behalf of PDP Members of the South tagged ‘PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit’ convened by the Admin Secretary, Zoning Committee of the PDP at the behest of the Chairman Zoning Committee (H.E Senator Duoye Diri) at the Legend Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos.
“The said meeting tagged ‘a summit’ was allegedly convened in the name of the three geo-political zones of Southern Nigeria — South East, South South, and South West.
“It is highly regrettable and indeed deeply disturbing that such a meeting was convened without the courtesy of inviting several State Chairmen from the South East and South South, as well as the duly elected National Secretary and Deputy National Legal Adviser of our great party. Even more troubling is the inexplicable exclusion of several national officers, eminent leaders, and critical stakeholders of the PDP.
“Shockingly, the Minority Leader in the National Assembly and other principal officers of our party from the South-South and South-East were also deliberately sidelined and denied participation in a meeting where such far-reaching and sensitive decisions on zoning, power rotation, and political equity are to be discussed.
“Equally concerning is the deliberate omission of most former governors from the South East and South South, who, by every standard of history, pedigree, and institutional memory, remain critical stakeholders in any conversation about the future direction of our party. Such a brazen disregard for established structures and statutory organs of the PDP not only offends the spirit of collective decision-making but also risks undermining the very foundation upon which our party was built.
“The PDP, since inception, has been anchored on the values of inclusivity, equity, consultation, and collective responsibility. Any process that deliberately sidelines key stakeholders, ignores the legitimate authority of national officers, and excludes elected leaders and ranking lawmakers erodes trust, fuels division, and threatens party cohesion at a time when unity is most needed.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we categorically dismiss any resolutions, communiqués, or outcomes purportedly emanating from this meeting as neither binding on, or reflective of, the collective will and aspirations of the PDP family across Southern Nigeria.
“Decisions reached in secrecy and exclusion cannot and shall not assume the authority of consensus.”
The ongoing division and the refusal of Wike’s camp to support the planned convention have now created a climate of uncertainty within the party in Oyo State. Many members are now increasingly worried about the party’s cohesion, the impact on their political careers, and the potential consequences as the 2027 elections approach. The anxiety within the PDP in Oyo reflects broader tensions across the party at the national level, as internal disputes continue to threaten its unity and electoral readiness.
