The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) plunged deeper into crisis on Tuesday after Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, accused Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, of offering the party to President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 elections. The development coincided with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) formally refusing to recognise the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led National Working Committee (NWC), further complicating the party’s leadership struggle.
Speaking in Ibadan, Makinde said his fallout with Wike stemmed from a meeting with President Tinubu in which the former Rivers State governor allegedly volunteered to “hold down” the PDP for the President’s benefit.
“I was in a meeting with the President, Wike, the President’s Chief of Staff and two others. Wike said to the President, ‘I will hold the PDP for you against 2027,’” Makinde revealed, stressing that the President neither requested nor endorsed such a pledge.
Makinde said he attempted to persuade Wike to reconsider, but the minister remained firm, prompting Makinde to publicly dissociate himself from any plan to support Tinubu in 2027. “Wike can support him, but he must allow those of us who want to preserve democracy and prevent a one-party state to act independently,” he said.
The governor warned that attempts to weaken opposition parties could destabilise Nigeria and trigger mass unrest. “If you move the country towards a one-party state, what happens when a bipartisan approach is needed? Nigerians’ response in 2027 may be unimaginable,” he said. Makinde also expressed regret for supporting Tinubu in 2023.
In response, Wike’s media aide, Lere Olayinka, dismissed Makinde’s claims, accusing the Oyo governor of political opportunism and self-interest. Olayinka alleged that Makinde had a history of switching parties to advance personal ambitions and would likely do so again after 2027. He further accused Makinde of undermining Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke in 2022 to remain the only PDP governor in the South-West.
The PDP’s leadership crisis intensified as INEC rejected recognition of the Turaki-led NWC. In a letter dated December 22 and signed by Secretary Dr Rose Oriaran-Anthony, INEC cited two final judgments of the Federal High Court in Abuja restraining it from recognising the Ibadan convention held on November 15–16, 2025. The commission noted that pending appeals did not stay the execution of these judgments.
The Wike-aligned faction hailed the decision, with Senator Samuel Anyanwu describing it as a victory for the rule of law and rejecting the legitimacy of the Ibadan convention.
However, the Turaki-led NWC insisted there were no factions within the PDP. National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong accused INEC of bias and suppressing facts, including monitoring of party meetings and primaries conducted under Turaki’s leadership. Ememobong argued that the party had obtained a stay of execution on the cited judgments, which INEC ignored.
Backing Makinde, PDP chieftain Umar Sani told Arise Television that the Oyo governor had exposed the source of the party’s leadership turmoil and criticised INEC for selective interpretation of court rulings.
As both camps dig in, with accusations and legal battles escalating, the PDP faces an uncertain path forward, raising concerns about its unity and electoral readiness ahead of 2027.
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