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PDP Crisis Worsens As Wike Pulls Out Of Party’s Reconciliation Deal, Blames Makinde
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has pulled out of all reconciliation agreements previously reached within the Peoples Democratic Party, accusing key party leaders of betrayal, dishonesty, and serial violations of mutual understandings.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Wike traced the roots of the PDP’s internal turmoil to the aftermath of the 2023 general elections, lamenting what he described as a steady decline into “dishonesty and lack of trust amongst its key stakeholders.”
“Since after the 2023 General Election, the PDP has been wantonly swinging from one part of a slippery precipice to another,” Wike said, noting that several efforts had been made to “arrest this pernicious virus of dishonesty and treachery.”
Wike, a former governor of Rivers State and a key member of the influential G5 group, blamed Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State for sabotaging reconciliation efforts, accusing him of being the “architect of our problems.”
“I made it clear to the Governor of Oyo State, HE, Seyi Makinde, that he was the architect of our problems, pointing out to him that non-adherence to agreements reached was the bane of the party, and that he was the chief culprit of this anomaly,” Wike stated.
He disclosed that during a G5 meeting in Lagos, the governors had resolved to bury the hatchet and move forward.
This was followed by a broader meeting in Abuja at Senator Bukola Saraki’s guest house, involving other top PDP figures including Governors Bala Mohammed, Umaru Fintiri, and Makinde, alongside Saraki himself.
According to Wike, the Abuja meeting yielded a set of clear resolutions, including recognition of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary in line with a Supreme Court judgment, the withdrawal of all court cases relating to Rivers State by the party’s National Legal Adviser, and an end to cases about state of emergency in Rivers.
But Wike said the resolutions were quickly and brazenly violated, even before the Saraki-led reconciliation committee could begin its work.
“To my chagrin, Seyi Makinde had connived with Peter Mba of Enugu State to orchestrate the summoning of the meeting of so-called South-East leaders to recommend that if Ude Okoye was not adopted as Secretary, they would pull out of the PDP,” he alleged.
Wike also accused party officials of attempting to sideline Anyanwu by presenting the Deputy National Secretary as acting National Secretary, and using a letter from him to call for a National Executive Committee meeting, moves Wike said were “in complete violation of the agreements reached.”
He cited an incident on May 24, 2025, in Jos, where a PDP zonal elective congress was aborted because INEC refused to attend.
The reason, he said, was because the letter of invitation was signed by the Deputy National Secretary, not the duly recognised National Secretary.
“This is undeniably distasteful, provocative and annoying, to say the least,” Wike declared.
Reflecting on his long association with the PDP since 1998, Wike expressed dismay that those he helped rise to political prominence had turned against him.
“It is on record that none of these persons have done anything close to what I have done to sustain this party.
“What is more painful is that I contributed substantially to most of these governors winning their elections, yet I have not made any personal demands on any of them and I would never do so,” he said.
Declaring a turning point, Wike said he had lost faith in the trust and camaraderie that once existed among party stakeholders and would no longer participate in any further reconciliation deals.
“I have now firmly decided to pull out of all agreements hitherto reached. I have decided to fight on until justice is attained,” the FCT minister concluded.
The PDP has yet to issue an official response to Wike’s latest position as of the time of filing this report.
Makinde and Mba have yet to respond to the minister’s statement.
The Nigerian Police Force has dismissed allegations of certificate forgery against the Minister of Interior, Tunji Ojo, describing them as baseless following an extensive investigation.
The Police, through its spokesperson, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, stated that no evidence was found of forgery, alteration, falsification, or unlawful production of the minister’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate.
According to him, the investigation established that there was no proof of forgery, alteration, falsification, or unlawful production of the minister’s NYSC certificate.
“After an exhaustive investigation into the allegations, it has been established that there is no evidence whatsoever of forgery, alteration, falsification or unlawful production of the minister’s NYSC certificate,” Hundeyin said.
He explained that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was contacted during the investigation and confirmed that the certificate in question was duly issued to the minister.
“The NYSC was contacted and it was verified that the certificate was duly issued by the corps to the minister. The allegations are therefore unfounded,” he added.
The development comes a day after youth and civil society groups staged a protest in Abuja over the alleged certificate forgery involving the minister.
The demonstrators accused Tunji-Ojo of providing conflicting information regarding his NYSC records, which they said raised concerns about integrity in public office.
Addressing journalists during the protest, one of the demonstrators said the minister had yet to publicly respond to the allegations.
“We have not heard from him. He has not come out to clarify to the public whether what is being said is right or wrong,” the protester said.
The protesters also argued that in similar circumstances, some public officials had resigned from office when faced with such allegations, insisting that accountability should apply equally to all public office holders.
“We want accountability, and we want everyone to be treated equally. What is good for one person should be good for all. If other ministers could resign over similar issues, we do not see why he should still remain in office,” the protester added.
They warned that failure to properly address such allegations could erode public trust in government institutions, particularly among young Nigerians, and undermine the credibility of public offices at the federal level.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the posting of 65 ambassadors-designate to various Nigerian missions and international organizations worldwide.
The list comprises 31 career diplomats and 34 non-career ambassadors, whose nominations were earlier confirmed by the Senate in December 2025.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the postings assign the envoys to various countries and international missions.
Among the non-career ambassadors, former presidential aide Reno Omokri was posted to Mexico, while former Minister of Aviation Femi Fani-Kayode was assigned to Germany.
Former Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole will serve in Canada, while former Minister of Interior Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau was posted to China.
Other notable appointments include Senator Ita Enang to South Africa, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim as Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Olufemi Pedro to Australia, and Lateef Kayode Are to the United States.
The President also approved the posting of several career diplomats to key missions.
These include Ambassador Abdussalam Habu Zayyad to Senegal, Ambassador Haidara Mohammed Idris to The Hague, Netherlands, Ambassador Ayeni Adebayo Emmanuel to Belgium, and Ambassador Ibrahim Danlami to Kenya, among others.
The Presidency disclosed that some countries have already issued diplomatic clearance, known as agrément, for Nigeria’s envoys.
The United Kingdom has approved Ambassador Aminu Dalhatu as Nigeria’s High Commissioner, while France has granted agrément for Ambassador Ayo Oke.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has also formally notified other host countries of the appointments and requested their agrément in line with diplomatic procedures.
Tinubu has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to immediately begin the induction programme for the ambassadors-designate and high commissioners ahead of their deployment to their respective missions.
The Ebonyi State Police Command has confirmed that Ezeogo Francis Igwe, the traditional ruler of Ndufu-Alike and father of former Deputy Governor Kelechi Igwe, has been killed by his abductors.
The victim, Francis Igwe, was the traditional ruler of Ndufu-Alike in Ikwo Local Government Area of the state before his death.
According to the police, the monarch was abducted on Sunday, March 1, 2026, while on his way to church.
Confirming the incident in a statement issued on Friday, the spokesperson of the Ebonyi State Police Command, Joshua Ukandu, said operatives launched intensive operations immediately after the abduction was reported.
Ukandu explained that deploying technical and intelligence assets led to the arrest of two suspects believed to be members of the kidnapping syndicate.
During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed that the monarch had been killed on March 2.
“They further volunteered to lead operatives to their hideout and assist in recovering the monarch’s remains,” the statement said.
However, while approaching the hideout, other gang members allegedly opened fire on the police team.
Ukandu said the operatives responded with superior firepower, overpowering the criminals during the gun battle.
“In the course of the confrontation, one of the hoodlums was neutralised, while others fled the scene,” he said.
The police spokesman added that seven additional suspects were later arrested, bringing the total number of suspects in custody to nine.
He also confirmed that one locally made pistol was recovered during the operation.
Ukandu said the remains of the slain traditional ruler had been recovered and deposited in a morgue for autopsy.
The suspects are currently in police custody, while efforts are ongoing to arrest other fleeing gang members.
He added that the suspects would be charged to court after the investigations conclude.
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