Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has disclosed that leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South have reached far-reaching decisions as part of consultations ahead of the party’s national convention scheduled for November in Ibadan.
Speaking in Abuja, Makinde, alongside Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa, PDP BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, and the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, stressed that the move was aimed at repositioning the party, not about individual personalities.
“We’re democrats. The South has taken far-reaching decisions, and in the days ahead, wider consultations will also take place. Our goal is to rebuild PDP into a credible alternative for Nigerians,” Makinde said.
He dismissed suggestions that the PDP is “dead,” pointing to the presence of sitting and former governors, senators, BoT members, and zoning committee representatives from 12 southern states at the meeting.
Opposition From Wike’s Camp
However, some southern PDP stakeholders loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike rejected the meeting, describing it as “illegal.” State chairmen from Rivers, Cross River, Imo, Abia, and Akwa Ibom, alongside other party leaders, said critical stakeholders — including national officers and several former governors — were excluded. They urged the PDP’s NWC and NEC to disregard the resolutions.
Professionals’ Group Defends Meeting
In response, the Conference of Professionals in the PDP (CP-PDP) defended the gathering, insisting it was a legitimate consultation convened by the zoning committee led by Governor Diri.
The group accused unnamed forces “sponsored by a prominent APC minister” of trying to discredit the summit and destabilize preparations for the November convention.
The PDP NEC meeting on Monday is expected to take up zoning and other critical decisions as part of the build-up to the convention.
