Just In: PDP ex-officios warn of party’s implosion as crisis lingers

• Nigeria’s main opposition party, the PDP, is currently rocked by one of its strongest crises since its establishment 26 years ago
• Legit.ng reports that the internal discord is fuelled by a struggle to control the party’s structure ahead of the 2027 general elections
• Against the backdrop of the unending crisis, ex-officio members of the party stressed that only an urgent NEC meeting will avert PDP’s “implosion”

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering politics, governance, and elections in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja – The national ‘ex-officio’ members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have warned that the lingering internal crisis in the party could lead to its implosion.

As reported by The Nation on Sunday, October 20, the ‘ex-officios’ said only an emergency national executive council (NEC) meeting, scheduled for October 24, can address the escalating tensions within the party’s top leadership.

PDP ex-officios urge urgent NEC

The Guardian also noted the PDP ex-officio’s stance.

The roots of the crisis can be linked to the May 28, 2022, presidential primary, which produced Atiku Abubakar as the party’s flag bearer.

Legit.ng reports that Nyesom Wike, the immediate past governor of Rivers state and current minister of the federal capital territory (FCT), had been at loggerheads with Atiku.

Wike’s disagreement with Atiku can be traced to the former vice-president’s victory at the PDP’s primary election and the septuagenarian’s choice of the former governor of Delta state, Ifeanyi Okowa, as running mate for the 2023 presidential election.

All efforts by some leaders of the party to reconcile the duo have been futile.

Furthermore, several PDP governors want the removal of Umar Damagum, the acting national chairman of the party, a move Wike is against.

In a statement, the ex-officio members bemoaned what they referred to as a “dangerous turn of events” that has the potential to destabilise the PDP.

Their statement partly reads:

“We have viewed with utter dismay and concern the dangerous turn of events within the top echelon of our party in recent times. These events have the tendency to shake the very foundation of our party.”

It added:

“The NEC meeting will afford members who are aggrieved the opportunity to be heard and their issues addressed.”

Wike tackles antagonists

Meanwhile, Wike spoke at a luncheon he organised in honour of the 10th legislative assembly of Rivers state in Port Harcourt. There, Wike vowed to continue to be a problem to PDP governors.

The minister said:

“All these things you are seeing by Atiku’s group, Peter Obi’s group and some PDP governors that believe that I am a problem to them. And I will continue to be a problem to them.”

Atiku launches scathing attack on Wike

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Atiku’s camp responded to Wike’s statement that he would continue to be a problem to the former vice-president.

Atiku said Wike still harbours bitterness from his defeat at the 2022 party presidential primaries of the PDP.

Source: Legit.ng