Party Torn Apart: PDP’s Nwobu Dares Wike to Make His Move
By IDNN Politics Bureau
📍 Published: Friday, May 2, 2025
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is grappling with internal turmoil yet again — and this time, the spotlight is back on Minister Nyesom Wike.
In a blistering takedown delivered on Thursday in Awka, former Anambra PDP chairman Ndubuisi Nwobu accused Wike of playing a dangerous double game by remaining in PDP while openly advancing the interests of President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“If Wike were man enough, he would go and obtain an APC membership card,” Nwobu said bluntly.
“I am convinced he is a coward for insisting he is still a PDP member while backing Tinubu. That is not how political integrity works.”
A Long History of Power Plays
Nwobu’s statement isn’t coming out of nowhere. He claims that during Wike’s tenure as Rivers State governor, the minister effectively hijacked PDP’s national structure.
“He acted like PDP was his personal business,” Nwobu alleged.
“He planted loyalists across the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) and dictated appointments from national chairman to secretary.”
According to Nwobu, Wike’s lingering grip on key decision-making bodies has paralyzed the party’s ability to discipline him — despite his now unmistakable tilt toward Tinubu and the APC.
PDP Plotting a Purge?
In what appears to be a coordinated pushback, Nwobu confirmed that the party had already removed one Wike ally from the national secretariat and hinted that more purges were underway.
“We’ve already dealt with the national secretary. Others will follow,” he said.
“Restoring integrity to the PDP begins by uprooting Wike’s loyalists.”
A PDP National Executive Council (NEC) meeting has been scheduled for May, where pending disciplinary actions are expected to be ratified. The session may set the tone for an impending convention, which party insiders say could reshape the leadership hierarchy.
Why Wike Still Holds the Cards
Despite his critics, Wike remains a formidable political player. As Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), he wields significant federal influence. Analysts believe that many PDP members are reluctant to take him on due to his deep war chest and his remaining loyalists within the party ranks.
“Even now, Wike sustains their loyalty through financial inducement,” Nwobu alleged.
“That’s why confronting the matter head-on has been so difficult.”
This claim echoes previous concerns that Wike’s continued presence in PDP serves to destabilize rather than strengthen it.
A Defection in Disguise?
The bigger question now is whether Wike is functionally already part of APC — just without the formal paperwork.
Many within PDP say it’s a matter of time before he officially crosses over. For now, Wike maintains that he is a loyal PDP man — a claim Nwobu calls dishonest and deceptive.
Political analyst Kalu Ugboaja told IDNN:
“Wike wants to have it both ways: federal power via Tinubu and PDP legitimacy in Rivers. But it’s catching up to him.”
A Party at a Crossroads
As the PDP braces for what could be its most consequential shake-up in years, Nwobu’s words reflect a growing frustration among opposition figures eager to reclaim the party from what they call “internal sabotage.”
“With new leadership, the colouration that held the party hostage will be eliminated,” Nwobu said.
“Wike’s undue influence must be rooted out — for good.”
Whether that will happen or backfire remains to be seen. But for now, the battle lines are drawn, and the party’s future may hinge on how it handles one man.
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