PDP Crisis: Wike Takes Jab At Oyo Governor, Says “Makinde Started A Fight He Can’t Win”

By Kolawole Ojebisi 

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has taken a swipe at the governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, saying he’s stoking the atmosphere of tension and divisiveness in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

 

 

 

Wike noted that Makinde is literally biting  off more than he can chew stressing that the Oyo helmsman lacks the political leverage to fight him and wrest the reins of leadership of the PDP from him.

 

 

 

The former Rivers State governor spoke on Monday at the National Executive Committee (NWC) meeting of the PDP faction chaired by Abdulrahman Mohammed.

 

 

 

“A fight you can’t win, don’t start it,” Wike said.

 

 

 

The minister was reacting to a  comment made by Makinde on Sunday on the lingering crisis rocking the PDP adding that Wike is a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and anyone supporting the camp of former Rivers governor is subtly working for President Bola Tinubu’s second term ambition.

 

 

 

“We need Nigerians to judge. If you can be in their camp, where they promised to support the president, so be it. We are not begrudging them. You can support whoever you like to support. But go to them if you want to support them. That is our position,” Makinde said.

 

 

 

“They have the government behind them. They have the judiciary behind them. They have INEC behind them. But we have the people behind us.” the Oyo Governor added.

 

 

 

The protracted crisis buffeting the PDP has factionalized the PDP, a development that has driven a wedge into the rosy relationship between Wike and Makinde by pitting the erstwhile friends against each other.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, the appeal court judgement which nullified the the PDP national convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo has fuelled rather than settled the opposition party’s crisis.

 

 

 

The November convention produced Kabiru Turaki as chairman.

 

 

 

Following the convention, stakeholders appealed to both factions to sheathe their swords, bury the hatchet for the sake of the party adding that this would afford the party the opportunity to field candidates in the 2027 elections.

 

 

 

However, despite the crisis in the party, Mohamed, who is Wike’s ally, has insisted that the national convention scheduled for March 29 and 30 will be held as planned.

 

 

 

He dismissed the rumours making the rounds that Makinde’s faction is plotting to halt the exercise.

 

 

 

Mohammed noted that the PDP remains the main and viable opposition party in the country, assuring party members that the crisis would be resolved in due time to ensure participation in the 2027 election.