PDP Crisis Intensifies: Wike Loyalists Prepare Counter-Offensive As Battle Shifts To States
By MELVIN KOFFA
FOLLOWING the PDP National Convention in Ibadan, the battle for control of the opposition party is moving to the states. The convention, led by former chairman Umar Damagum, announced the expulsion of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti governor Ayo Fayose, and others, and dissolved State Working Committees in Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River.
Sources say Wike’s loyalists are planning a counter-offensive, with a meeting scheduled in Abuja to strategize. The convention’s legitimacy is disputed, with national secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu calling it a “jamboree” and noting that INEC was not properly notified.
Parallel leaderships already exist in Edo, Bayelsa, and zonal committees, raising concerns of fragmentation. PDP chieftain Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim urged reconciliation, emphasizing unity and inclusion to safeguard both the party and Nigeria’s democracy.
Bayelsa PDP caretaker chairman George Turnah dismissed claims of expulsion, calling the Ibadan event a “social gathering” with no legal basis, and reaffirmed his loyalty to Wike and the party’s leadership.
