2027 Showdown: Wike-Makinde Rift Threatens PDP’s High-Stakes Ibadan Convention

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is once again walking a tightrope of internal crisis as its long-awaited National Elective Convention, scheduled for November in Ibadan, Oyo State, faces the threat of derailment. At the heart of the tension is a bitter rift between Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde — erstwhile allies whose falling-out now threatens to reopen old wounds within Nigeria’s main opposition party.

The convention, billed for November 15–16, is expected to elect 19 new members into the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), a key step in the party’s rebuilding process after back-to-back defections of heavyweights to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the newly formed African Democratic Congress (ADC). The PDP is desperate to project unity and strength as it positions itself for the 2027 general elections. But Wike’s recent threats suggest storm clouds are gathering over Ibadan.

Wike’s Warning Shots

Wike, speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today, accused the PDP leadership of “impunity and injustice” in handling recent zonal congresses in the South-South and South-East. He insisted that Dan Orbih, who emerged as National Vice Chairman (South-South) at a congress in Calabar, must be recognized, and that Ali Odefa, the South-East zonal chairman, be removed following a court order.

“The so-called acting national chairman wrote a letter to INEC claiming the congress was postponed. That’s false. Dan Orbih emerged, and if they refuse to acknowledge him, another crisis will come,” Wike warned.

He further declared that he was “not aware” of any convention in Ibadan, insisting that no NEC resolution authorizing it had reached him. “If notice of a meeting is not given to NEC members, we have the right to challenge it. I will not condone impunity, and I will fight it.”

Party Pushback

The PDP, however, has struck back at Wike’s threats. National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba insisted the convention would go on “as scheduled, as approved by NEC, and as communicated to all stakeholders, including Wike.”

“All organs of the party have approved Ibadan as the venue. INEC has been duly informed. Notices were sent to all NEC members, including the minister, with evidence of acknowledgment. No one individual can derail this process,” Ologunagba said.

Other PDP leaders — including Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor and former National Vice Chairman (South West) Eddy Olafeso — also accused Wike of “overstepping his bounds” and vowed that the Ibadan convention would proceed regardless of his opposition.

The Wike–Makinde Factor

At the center of the storm is Wike’s souring relationship with Governor Makinde, his longtime ally within the G-5 bloc of governors who rebelled against the PDP’s presidential candidate in 2023. Their alliance once formed a powerful bloc, but insiders say differences over control of party structures in the South-West and South-South have widened cracks between them.

“Makinde has his eyes on consolidating PDP’s hold in the South-West through the Ibadan convention, while Wike is fighting for recognition of his allies in the South-South. Both men are powerful, but their interests now clash. That’s why Ibadan has become the new battlefield,” a PDP NEC member told our correspondent.

The Stakes for PDP

The PDP, already weakened by high-profile defections — including Atiku Abubakar, Ifeanyi Okowa, Sheriff Oborevwori, and Umo Eno — sees the Ibadan convention as a lifeline to rebrand itself ahead of 2027. Analysts warn that if the convention is marred by division, the party risks sliding further into irrelevance against a dominant APC and a rising ADC.

“Wike is a master tactician, and his words should not be dismissed lightly. But if the PDP bows to his pressure, it risks undermining its rebuilding process. If it ignores him, it risks another split. Either way, the Ibadan convention is a defining moment for the party’s survival,” said Dr. Hassan Salihu, a political analyst at the University of Abuja.

Allies Close Ranks

Wike has not been alone. Former governors Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), as well as PDP National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, were spotted with him in Abuja this week. Sources close to the group hinted that their next meeting could produce a formal position on whether to boycott or challenge the Ibadan convention in court.

Meanwhile, Senator Seyi Makinde and his camp are said to be rallying South-West delegates to ensure the convention becomes a show of strength, not weakness. “Ibadan will go on. We will not surrender the party’s destiny to one man,” a Makinde ally said.

A Test of Survival

For now, the PDP leadership insists it is “laser-focused” on delivering a seamless convention, but beneath the surface, tensions are simmering. With just three months to go, the Wike-Makinde rift is threatening to turn the Ibadan convention from a moment of renewal into another episode of turmoil in the PDP’s chequered history.

As one senior PDP figure put it, “Ibadan 2025 will either be the beginning of PDP’s resurgence or the final nail in its coffin.”

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna