Palpable fear and anxiety have grown among the members and supporters of the People’s Democratic Party, ( PDP) in Oyo State over the future of the party.
PDP is the ruling party in the state in the last six years and with that, many of its members are looking towards 2027 with great expectations.
However, the deepening crisis in the party is giving them serious concern with many of them looking into their future political aspirations with anxiety.
Their anxiety is as a result of the continued tense relationship between the former Rivers State Governor and current Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike and the Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, whose they were best friends during the 2023 general elections.
Only on Thursday, ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party, ( PDP) National Elective Convention scheduled for November in Ibadan, Oyo State, the camp loyal to Wike, has rejected the Southern Leaders’ Zoning Consultative meeting held in Lagos on Thursday.
Wike’s camp is resolute in its bid to prevent PDP’s November convention from taking place, citing disputes over the zonal leadership of the South-South and South-East.
Meanwhile, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, other governors and their allies are committed to ensuring that the convention proceeds as planned in line with the party’s constitution.
Hours before the Lagos meeting Thursday morning, State Chairmen of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), former Governors, National Assembly members, serving and former National Working Committee members and other notable stakeholders from the Southern Nigeria said they disowned the meeting scheduled for Lagos Thursday by some group in the party with the aim of zoning positions.
The PDP leaders dismissed “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.”
This was contained in a press statement signed by the State Party Chairmen of Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers, Austin Nwachukwu, Abraham Amah, Barr. Venatuis Ikem, Rt. Hon Aniekan Akpan and Aaron Chukwuemeka respectively, as well as the National Vice Chairman (South-East), Hon. Chidiebere Egwu Goodluck and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon O. K. Chinda.
Others were 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.
The statement titled; “Re: Purported Meeting Of PDP Southern Zoning Consultative Summit,” read; “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.
