ABUJA/IBADAN — A senior chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Sani, has made stunning allegations that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, demanded the party refrain from fielding a presidential candidate in the 2027 elections as his sole condition for peace within the opposition party.
Sani disclosed that Wike presented this ultimatum during meetings with the reconciliation committee established by the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), stating that if this condition was not met, it would be a fight to the finish with the PDP
The revelation came during an interview on Arise News on Monday, shedding light on the depth of internal divisions plaguing Nigeria’s main opposition party as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
“Wike gave the PDP a condition that we are not going to field a presidential candidate in 2027. He said that is the only condition that he will have; all that this is a fight to finish,” Sani stated
The explosive claims emerged just days after the PDP held its controversial national elective convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15-16, 2025, despite multiple court orders directing the party to suspend proceedings.
Former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), emerged as the new National Chairman of the PDP, securing 1,516 votes against Senator Lado’s 275 votes, while Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja was elected as National Secretary
The convention drew over 3,000 delegates from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, though it was overshadowed by sharp disagreements over zoning arrangements, accreditation delays, and alleged last-minute manoeuvres by rival factions
In a dramatic turn of events, the convention unanimously expelled Wike, National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, and former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, along with eight others including National Organising Secretary Umar Bature, National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibide, and several state chairmen. The motion was moved by founding member Chief Bode George and seconded by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed.
Former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu described the expulsions as removing “a cancer that has been part of our party, that has crippled the party,” expressing hope that the party could now move forward and offer Nigerians a viable alternative
Wike, through his spokesman Lere Olayinka, dismissed his expulsion, describing the convention as party members starting their “Detty December in November,” implying that delegates were intoxicated and their decisions should not be taken seriously
“They gathered basically to enjoy themselves and, after drinking, they were free to say anything,” the statement read, suggesting the gathering was more of a social event than a serious political convention.
Split Among Governors
The expulsions have created divisions even among PDP governors. Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who chaired the convention, and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang both publicly dissociated themselves from Wike’s expulsion, with Fintiri warning that the action would deepen the party’s crisis rather than resolve it.
Governor Mutfwang emphasized that the expulsion was neither discussed at the Governors’ Forum nor at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting before being presented at the convention.
A leaked report from the BoT reconciliation committee chaired by Ambassador Hassan Adamu revealed that positioning and control of party structures ahead of 2027 polls have been identified as primary factors driving the crisis, with total lack of trust between warring factions making reconciliation nearly impossible.
The report noted that “the year 2027 became an issue with regards to who gets what,” and observed that loyalty had shifted from the party to individuals, with the committee expressing reservations about the viability of a convention without unity.
The PDP has been engulfed in internal disputes since 2022, split between factions loyal to Wike and those supporting National Chairman Umar Damagum. The crisis intensified after Wike, despite being a PDP stalwart, accepted a ministerial appointment in President Bola Tinubu’s APC-led administration following the 2023 elections where he supported the APC candidate.
Defending the party’s actions, Sani stated that the PDP had attempted internal reconciliation through the Ambassador Hassan Adamu Committee, but it became clear there was no way to resolve the issues as a family, with Wike himself having described it as a family dispute.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had issued orders stopping the convention from proceeding until the party complies with its constitution and guidelines, barring INEC from supervising or monitoring the Ibadan event. The party’s decision to proceed despite these orders is expected to trigger further legal challenges.
The expulsions and convention decisions are likely to be challenged in court, potentially throwing the party into deeper turmoil as it seeks to position itself as a credible alternative to the ruling APC ahead of 2027.
As of press time, INEC had not monitored the convention due to the conflicting court orders, though independent observers were present at the Lekan Salami Stadium venue.
The developments mark another turbulent chapter in the PDP’s struggle to overcome internal divisions and present a united front for the 2027 electoral contest, with questions mounting about the party’s capacity to challenge the ruling party effectively.
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