Abuja was the epicenter of political tension last night as the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, convened an emergency late-night meeting with key stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from all 36 states and the FCT.
At the high-stakes gathering, held at his Abuja residence, Wike reportedly warned that the party’s much-anticipated national convention risked being declared invalid unless six critical conditions were met.
According to those present, Wike insisted that fresh congresses must be conducted in Ebonyi and Anambra States in line with existing court rulings. He described the party’s refusal to act on judicial pronouncements as a ticking time bomb that could derail the credibility of the entire convention.
He further demanded the immediate conduct of a new South East Zonal Congress, which he claimed was overdue and necessary for equity and compliance with party rules.
The FCT Minister also stressed that the South South Congress outcome in Calabar, already upheld by the courts, must be respected without alteration, warning that any attempt to tamper with it would amount to judicial contempt.
In addition, Wike called on the PDP leadership to urgently conduct the Ekiti Local Government Area congresses, also backed by judicial orders, noting that selective obedience to court rulings would no longer be tolerated.
Touching on the controversial issue of zoning, the former Rivers governor insisted there should be no micro-zoning of party offices, beyond the general formula earlier adopted by the National Executive Committee (NEC). He argued that micro-zoning could fuel unnecessary divisions and destabilize the fragile peace within the party.
Perhaps the most sensitive of his demands was his firm stance that the national chairmanship position must remain in the North Central, in accordance with the zoning arrangement established at the 2021 convention. Any deviation, he warned, would be met with stiff resistance.
Sources at the meeting revealed that Wike’s tone was both combative and persuasive, as he reminded stakeholders that PDP’s survival as a credible opposition hinged on internal justice and fairness.
The emergency parley, which dragged into the early hours, underscores deepening cracks within the party ahead of its convention. With Wike’s ultimatum now in the open, analysts believe the PDP leadership faces a make-or-break moment.
So far, the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has not issued an official response to Wike’s demands, but insiders suggest that frantic consultations are already underway to avert another round of internal crisis.
Political watchers say the coming days will reveal whether Wike’s bold move cements his influence as a power broker in the PDP or plunges the party into another bitter round of factional battles.
Either way, the six-point demand now hangs over the PDP convention like a storm cloud, threatening to redefine both the party’s internal dynamics and its place in Nigeria’s broader political landscape.
