Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has alleged that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, gave a personal guarantee to President Bola Tinubu that he would maintain control over the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to ensure it poses no threat to the president’s 2027 re-election bid.
Speaking during a high-profile media interaction in Ibadan, Makinde provided a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes political maneuvering that has fractured Nigeria’s largest opposition party.
”Wike told President Tinubu in my presence that he would hold the PDP for him,” Makinde stated, according to reports monitored by Angel Network News (ANN).
The governor’s revelations suggest a deliberate strategy of internal sabotage aimed at keeping the PDP in a state of perpetual crisis. Makinde, who was a key ally of Wike within the “G5″ group of governors during the 2023 election cycle, indicated that the current friction within the party is a result of this pact.
”I am saying this for the first time. The plan is to ensure that by 2027, there is no viable opposition to challenge the current administration,” the governor added.
The PDP has been embroiled in a leadership tussle for months, with various factions loyal to either Wike or the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, battling for control of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
Makinde’s comments confirm long-standing suspicions among political analysts that Wike, despite serving as a minister in an APC-led federal government, intends to maintain his grip on the PDP structure to influence the next general election.
”It is a game of survival and interests,” Makinde noted. “But the people of Nigeria deserve a choice. You cannot ‘hold’ a party for someone else when the destiny of millions is at stake.”
While Wike has frequently dismissed allegations of anti-party activities as the “cries of losers,” Makinde’s latest assertion puts a direct spotlight on the Minister’s alleged dual loyalty.
The presidency has yet to officially respond to Makinde’s claims. However, the revelation is expected to deepen the animosity within the PDP as stakeholders prepare for crucial national executive meetings aimed at resolving the party’s identity crisis.
Makinde concluded by asserting his commitment to the PDP’s survival, despite the alleged efforts to compromise its independence. “We are watching, and the grassroots are watching. You cannot suppress the will of the members forever.”
