The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, recently met with top PDP leaders from the southeast and South-South at his Abuja residence. The strategic meeting came ahead of the PDP national convention, planned for August.
According to The Cable, Wike and his close allies discussed the possibility of shifting the national convention date to October. The move is seen as a way to secure his position within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), amid growing internal opposition.
PDP Convention Scheduled for August 28
PDP governors had earlier fixed August 28 for the national convention during their meeting in April held in Ibadan, Oyo State. At the convention, new members of the National Working Committee (NWC) are expected to be elected to steer the party’s day-to-day affairs.
Although Wike has publicly affirmed his membership in the PDP, he currently serves as a minister in President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led administration. His dual alignment has stirred speculation within the party ranks.
Wike Seeks to Shift PDP Convention
Sources revealed that Wike is working to postpone the PDP convention to October. Reports suggest his influence in the party is weakening, especially as the acting PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum, appears to have distanced himself from Wike.
Despite this, PDP National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu is reportedly still loyal to Wike, who served as Rivers State governor from 2015 to 2023.
A PDP insider shared:
“If the convention holds in August as planned, Wike may lose out completely, so the plan is to stall the convention to allow enough time to strategise.”
Background of the PDP Crisis
The PDP’s leadership struggles deepened after its narrow loss to the APC in the 2023 general election. In response, party governors set up a reconciliation committee led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki. Saraki has since worked to reunite the party by meeting with key factions, including Wike’s group.
As the PDP national convention approaches, internal alignments and strategies continue to shape the party’s future.
Article updated 4 months ago. Content is written and modified by multiple authors.
