The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has warned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not be able to hold its much-anticipated national convention in November if lingering internal disputes are not resolved.
The convention, scheduled to take place in Ibadan, Oyo State, has been touted as a crucial moment for the party ahead of the 2027 general elections. But Wike, speaking on Monday during his monthly media chat in Abuja, stressed that the problem was not the venue but the festering issues within the party.
“The issue of the national convention is not the problem; the problem is the issues leading to the convention, and people should understand that,” Wike said.
He disclosed that the party had agreed to set up a reconciliation committee for the South-East and Ebonyi, adding that his own team would meet later in the evening to take a position.
According to him, media reports suggesting that he opposed Ibadan as the venue were misleading. “Instead of reporting what we said accurately, some people are saying because I’m quarreling with Seyi, that is why I said the convention will not hold in Ibadan. That is not correct. The venue is not the subject matter,” he clarified.
The former Rivers State governor, known for his bluntness, stressed that conventions had been successfully held in several locations in the past—including Port Harcourt and Abuja—and that the choice of Ibadan should not ordinarily pose a problem.
“What we are saying is before you get to the convention, have you done what you are supposed to do? If you have not done it, it may be a setback,” he cautioned.
Wike, however, admitted that the PDP leadership had begun taking steps to resolve the grievances, expressing hope that once addressed to the satisfaction of the aggrieved stakeholders, the road to Ibadan would be smooth.
With party unity already fragile and the stakes high ahead of 2027, observers say the outcome of the reconciliation process could determine whether the PDP emerges stronger or suffers yet another internal implosion.
