PDP govs meet in Zamfara to strategise ahead of Monday NEC

Governors elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday converged on Gusau, the Zamfara State capital for a two-day meeting to strategise ahead of Monday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) session of the party. Their meeting, coming barely a day after PDP leaders in the South, led by Oyo State Governor Seyi […]

Governors elected on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday converged on Gusau, the Zamfara State capital for a two-day meeting to strategise ahead of Monday’s National Executive Committee (NEC) session of the party.

Their meeting, coming barely a day after PDP leaders in the South, led by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, met in Lagos, is believed to have been called to fine-tune their position ahead of Monday’s NEC gathering, particularly in the light of the fresh crisis threatening the party’s planned November 15-16 elective national convention.

Weekend Trust learnt that the crux of the Gusau meeting is how the governors will resolve new challenges raised by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike ahead of the convention.

Wike’s insistence on dissolving the Elder Emmanuel Ogidi-led South-South zonal caretaker committee and replacing it with the Dan Orbih-led faction has unsettled preparations for the Ibadan convention. His loyalists on Thursday dismissed the Lagos meeting led by Makinde as “an illegality.”

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At the 101st NEC meeting in July, members unanimously approved Ibadan, Oyo State as host of the national convention, which is expected to produce new members of the National Working Committee (NWC) to replace the Ambassador Umar Damagum-led leadership.

The party has also been embroiled in a tussle over its national secretary, with Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday Ude-Okoye backed by Wike and Enugu Governor Peter Mbah respectively.

The former Rivers State governor, a central figure in the crisis that has rocked the PDP since its 2022 presidential primary, which he lost to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, had at one point declared the rift “over” following Atiku’s exit. But he recently warned that the convention could not hold unless the South-South zonal congress held in Calabar, where his loyalists emerged as leaders, was recognised.

Although the party has inaugurated both the zoning and convention planning committees, Wike insists he is unaware of any convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan.

 

Governors to approach Wike with cautio

Weekend Trust gathered that while Makinde; the chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed; Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke; Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri and Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri arrived in Gusau on Friday and were received by the host, Governor Dauda Lawal with others still expected as at the time of filing this report, the crucial session will hold today (Saturday). A gala night was scheduled for the guests at the Zamfara Government House on Friday.

Security was noticeably tightened across Gusau, especially around the venue.

A statement by Sulaiman Bala Idris, the spokesperson for Governor Dauda Lawal, said the governors’ meeting was convened to deliberate on political strategies as the party navigates its current turbulence.

“Governor Dauda Lawal extends a warm welcome to his counterparts, the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party, in Zamfara State.

“The governors are convening today for an important meeting of the PDP Governors Forum.

“Governor Lawal will host a dinner tonight before the closed-door meeting scheduled for tomorrow.

“This meeting will provide an opportunity for party leaders to discuss pressing political issues, plan for unity and collaborate on developmental initiatives within their respective states.

“Additionally, the governors will address key concerns in preparation for the national convention organised by the NEC in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025.”

Multiple sources close to the forum told Weekend Trust that while such gatherings could be described as routine, the stakes are much higher this time as whatever decision is reached in Gusau will likely shape the NEC’s outcome.

“The meeting was supposed to hold earlier but was shifted because of the just-concluded by-election in Kaura Namoda.

“I am sure the governors will discuss critical issues around strengthening the party. It is unwise to go into a convention with unresolved internal disputes as this could derail the exercise and weaken prospects in the general elections. They want to clear the hurdles before November,” one source said.

Another source stressed that the session would focus on challenges confronting the party.

Asked if Wike’s lingering factional disputes were on the agenda, the source said the governors would tread carefully.

“You know Wike is good at spoiling any initiative that doesn’t come from him. Everyone knows this, so the governors are handling him cautiously to avoid litigation that could derail the convention,” the source said.

He added that the decision to restore Senator Samuel Anyanwu as national secretary was to pacify Wike’s camp and maintain relative peace.

“Any attempt to provoke Wike now could trigger a court battle. But after the convention, the party will deal with him squarely,” he said.

A northern chieftain familiar with PDP’s internal workings said the Gusau talks were largely aimed at ensuring the Ibadan convention is successful.

“The only real obstacle now is Wike. But the governors know Nigerians will not take them seriously if they allow him to frustrate the convention. All the organs of the party are determined to hold it in November,” he said.

He added that the governors were expected to deliberate on what he described as Wike’s “incessant demands.”

“He used INEC to arm-twist the NWC and governors to bring back Anyanwu, and now he has issued another condition. If they keep indulging him, he will keep moving the goalposts until 2027. I believe the governors now understand his game,” the chieftain said.

 

Party vows to wield the big stick

Efforts to reach the party’s leadership for comment were unsuccessful as its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, could not be reached.

However, Ologunagba had earlier told journalists that the PDP would not hesitate to act against members working against its constitution.

“If any member behaves inconsistently with the constitution, the necessary actions will kick in. We have said that before and we mean every word,” he said in reaction to Wike’s threat to scuttle the convention.

Ologunagba maintained that the party had been conducting its affairs strictly in line with its constitution.

The deputy national publicity secretary of the party, Malam Ibrahim Abdullahi, also told the BBC that while the party had long been advised to sanction Wike, it refrained to avoid escalation.

“We tried to avoid problems, but now, it appears the problem is chasing us because Wike thrives on confrontation,” he said.

He added that if Wike were loyal to the party, he would abide by its decisions, saying, “Whatever step he takes to frustrate our forthcoming convention, we are ready to respond. His actions already show that he is more inclined towards promoting the APC government,” Abdullahi said.

 Wike has dismissed the proposed convention, insisting tghat he is not aware of it and will not recognise its outcome. He argued that unresolved disputes render any such gathering illegitimate, warning that a convention organised by “a few individuals” would not represent NEC’s decision.

 He vowed, along with his loyalists, to resist what he described as internal injustice within the PDP.