The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is teetering on the edge of political irrelevance as a worsening internal revolt by its governors and top stakeholders threatens to unravel the party barely two years after its crushing defeat in the 2023 presidential elections.
Insider accounts reveal that the 12 sitting PDP governors have now effectively distanced themselves from the party’s national leadership, casting a dark cloud over the forthcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for May.
The deepening disaffection signals a larger breakdown of trust and cohesion, raising fears that the PDP may be heading into the 2027 election cycle fractured, unprepared, and leaderless.
At the heart of the turmoil is the enduring shadow of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, whose grip on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) continues to stir resentment and division.
Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Iliya Damagum, is widely viewed by party insiders as a Wike loyalist, a perception that has undermined his legitimacy and crippled efforts to unify the party’s leadership.
Multiple sources within the PDP have confirmed that at least five governors are exploring alliances with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or a yet-to-be-announced political coalition ahead of 2027.
The move reflects both a loss of faith in the PDP’s direction and a growing realization among governors that the party may no longer be a viable political vehicle.
“The party is adrift. No clear leadership, no policy direction, and no capacity to function as a serious opposition,” lamented a senior PDP official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, once a member of the influential G5 bloc that rebelled against the PDP’s 2023 presidential ticket, has openly defied the party’s leadership by endorsing Sunday Udeh-Okoye as National Secretary over Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
Yet even Makinde’s current alignment with Wike remains ambiguous, further complicating the party’s fractured landscape.
Tensions between Wike and other key figures such as Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed and Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri have continued to fester, eroding the party’s ability to present a united front.
Meanwhile, state governors have reportedly abandoned the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, and the party’s operations are said to be at a virtual standstill.
The party’s paralysis is also evident in its failure to attract credible aspirants for the upcoming Anambra State gubernatorial election.
Despite an extension of the nomination window, no strong contender has emerged, a glaring indication of waning confidence in the PDP brand.
Financially, the situation is dire. Once buoyed by the backing of its governors, the party now survives on sporadic donations from a handful of loyalists.
A senior party figure admitted, “The governors have stopped funding the party. We’re running on fumes. There’s no reason this party can’t survive, but the will has to come from the top.”
The PDP’s refusal to discipline Wike despite repeated provocations underscores the extent of its internal paralysis.
“Wike has violated every norm of party discipline, yet we can’t act. Ask Damagum, ask Anyanwu,” a frustrated NWC member said.
The recent revocation of the PDP’s Certificate of Occupancy for its national secretariat by the FCT administration, widely interpreted as a political maneuver orchestrated by Wike, has only heightened suspicions of a strategic campaign to hollow out the party from within.
Some senior members view these moves as a calculated vendetta against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, stemming from the fallout of the 2023 presidential primaries.
“Wike wants revenge,” one top official said. “He believes the best way to destroy Atiku’s chances in 2027 is to bring down the PDP with him.”
Despite mounting evidence of collapse, party leaders remain largely in denial. Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, has dismissed the funding crisis as “falsehood,” while National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba refused to comment altogether.
As the party spirals into deeper crisis, one thing is clear: without immediate and bold intervention, the PDP risks political extinction, not at the hands of its opponents, but from its own implosion.
Credit: NaijaNews except headline
