PDP Internal Crisis Has Subsided, Wike Declares
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has subsided, announcing an open-door policy for former members seeking a return to the opposition party.
Speaking during a media parley in Abuja on Friday, the PDP chieftain likened politics to a game of football rather than a “fight to finish” and urged aggrieved politicians to set aside personal differences for the sake of the party’s progress. “Politics is not a fight to finish. It’s like a game, like a football. If you see it as a do or die, it becomes difficult to reconcile. For us, it’s not that way,” Wike said.
Addressing the fallout from the party’s recent national convention, the former Rivers State governor stated that the time for internal bickering had passed, stressing that the party was now focused on reconciliation and rebuilding its ranks. “As far as I’m concerned, the convention has come and gone. People are trooping in. I will say, the door is open. Yes, we have had crisis. Now the crisis is over. Do we still have to shut our doors? No. Certainly not,” Wike stated.
The minister revealed that several members who had previously dumped the PDP had already signalled their intention to return, noting that the political environment was becoming increasingly acceptable for those ready to do the work. He also took a swipe at the do-or-die mentality often associated with Nigerian politics, suggesting that such an approach made reconciliation impossible. “We have had our differences, but if you’re really sincere, there’s nothing left. We can do it together and move the party forward,” he said.
Sending a message to aspiring candidates, Wike warned that political relevance was earned through visibility and hard work, not title alone, hinting that those who remained on the sidelines would not be recognised as serious contenders in future polls. “There’s no doubt that we have a lot of work to do, but what is important is that we have put the convention behind us,” he added.
Wike further disclosed how Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State had visited his house and asked him to stop the recent national convention of the PDP. The minister explained that Mohammed had urged him to put the convention on hold while all aggrieved members of the party engage in discussions. Wike said, “Bala Mohammed last week Tuesday, called my ADC that he wanted to speak to me and he said he wanted to see me because he was just coming from Lagos… Around 11pm he came to my house and we were discussing, he said look ‘can we put off the convention so that we will be able to sit down and discuss?’”.
The PDP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis since 2025, with rival factions holding separate conventions and fighting for control of the party in court. This has stoked fears about the opposition’s unity ahead of the 2027 elections. The crisis escalated following the controversial Ibadan convention of November 15-16, 2025, which was later nullified by the Court of Appeal for flagrant disobedience of subsisting court orders. In January 2026, a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan nullified the convention and barred the Kabiru Turaki-led faction from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
Recent developments suggest a potential thaw in the crisis, with both the Wike and Turaki factions reportedly opening peace talks. Turaki, the National Chairman of the PDP faction, confirmed that a fresh reconciliation process aimed at uniting aggrieved factions had commenced, stating, “I can unequivocally confirm that, as of today, leaders on both sides have broken the ice and are exploring various pathways towards a lasting resolution”.