Wike-Led PDP Faction Announces Expulsion of Three Governors as Party Crisis Deepens
A new chapter unfolded in the People’s Democratic Party on Tuesday as a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, declared the expulsion of three sitting governors, intensifying one of the most dramatic internal struggles the party has faced in recent years. In a move announced after an emergency gathering said to have involved members of a parallel National Executive Committee and Board of Trustees, the faction struck the names of Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara from its register. The group accused the governors of engaging in what it described as activities detrimental to the party’s interests. The announcement is the latest escalation in the bitter internal contest for control of the PDP, a struggle that has seen competing factions convene separate meetings, issue conflicting directives and even physically clash at the party’s Abuja headquarters. Sources familiar with Tuesday’s deliberations said the Wike-aligned bloc is positioning itself as the true custodian of the party’s founding principles, insisting that decisive action was necessary to restore discipline. However, allies of the affected governors dismissed the expulsion as illegitimate and without the backing of the constitutionally recognized national leadership. Tensions reached boiling point earlier this week when some governors reportedly forced their way into the national secretariat after arriving to counter a gathering convened by the rival faction. Party elders now fear a formal split may be imminent unless urgent reconciliation efforts take place. For now, two centers of power appear to be entrenched, each claiming authority and each preparing for what might become a prolonged political siege. The implications stretch far beyond internal party politics, carrying real consequences for the opposition’s strength ahead of future national contests.
| 2025-11-18 20:00:47