Governors, Party Leaders Stand Firm: “We Are Not Cowards”
By our reporter
Abuja | September 3, 2025
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing renewed internal conflict as governors elected on its platform, alongside the party’s National Chairman Umar Damagum and key stakeholders, push back against demands from the camp of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike.
Despite mounting pressure from Wike’s loyalists, the PDP leadership insists the party’s National Elective Convention, scheduled for November 15–16 in Ibadan, Oyo State, will go ahead as planned.
Governors Reject “Arrogance and Impunity”
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday during the inauguration of the 119-member National Convention Planning Committee, chaired by Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, the PDP Governors’ Forum declared they will no longer tolerate sabotage from within.
“We are not cowards, and we are not afraid of anybody,” said Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, who chairs the forum. “We are working as governors and with the committee to ensure the success of this convention. Enough is enough.”
He accused Wike’s camp of trying to hijack the party through what he described as “shenanigans, arrogance, and impunity.”
> “We cannot allow people to take us to the slaughterhouse anymore. If anybody wants to become a faction of fools, we will allow him to go and do it.”
— Governor Bala Mohammed
Wike Camp Issues Ultimatum
On Monday night, Wike’s allies, operating under the banner “Eminent Leaders and Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP”, issued a communiqué after a nearly three-hour meeting. Read by former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom, the group warned that the national convention would be “invalid” unless their resolutions were fully implemented.
Among their key demands:
No micro-zoning of national offices.
Retention of the national chairman in the North-Central, per the 2021 zoning formula.
Fresh congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra in line with court orders.
A new South-East Zonal Congress.
Immediate conduct of the Ekiti State LGA congress.
Recognition of the South-South Congress held in Calabar.
> “Unity cannot be built on disenfranchisement or the neglect of valid judicial pronouncements,” the communiqué stated.
“The PDP must reclaim its founding values of justice, fairness, and inclusivity.”
Battle for the Soul of the Party
The upcoming convention is intended to elect a new National Working Committee (NWC) to steer the PDP toward the 2027 general elections. However, the sharp divisions threaten to derail that process.
Analysts say the stakes are high: a successful convention could signal the rebirth of a unified PDP, while failure could deepen fractures and lead to further defections.
Makinde’s Camp: “PDP Will Be Set Free”
Supporters of Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, where the convention will be held, are confident that the exercise will go ahead and mark a turning point for the opposition party.
“The PDP has dared Nyesom Wike to do what he can do,” said Michael Ogunsina, Publicity Secretary of the Oyo PDP. “There is no forever champion anywhere. The convention is a done deal. No force can stop it.”
He added that the event would usher in new leadership that would “set the PDP free from satanic infiltrations.”
BoT, Party Leaders Back Convention
The PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and several senior party figures have also thrown their weight behind the November convention. Representing BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, Secretary Ahmed Makarfi said both northern and southern blocs were free to micro-zone within their regions, but that all members retained the right to contest.
The BoT stressed the importance of balancing fairness with internal democracy, and urged aggrieved parties to engage through legal and party-approved channels.
What’s Next?
While the PDP insists that discipline and unity will prevail, the Wike camp’s next move remains unclear. Legal challenges could stall the convention and prolong the crisis. Alternatively, a retreat from Wike’s side might signal a significant shift in the party’s internal power structure.
> “We welcome consensus and inclusivity, but not blackmail,” Bala Mohammed said.
“This is the time to show Nigerians that the PDP is serious about governance again.”
As the countdown to November 15 begins, the PDP finds itself at a critical crossroads — torn between reform and resistance, unity and division.
Whether the party emerges stronger or splinters further may well determine its chances in 2027.
