- Ask members to resist anti-party forces
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governor’s Forum declared yesterday that the party was forging ahead with its November 15, 2025 national convention in Ibadan without let or hindrance.
It vowed to resist “all attempts to derail the convention by anti-party forces”, a veiled response to threat by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike that a fresh crisis could erupt in the party if the PDP refused to acknowledge the zonal congress that elected his ally, Dan Orbih, as National Vice Chairman, South-South.
His supporters had also protested alleged exclusion from decision making process, including last Thursday meeting in Lagos on the formula for the micro-zoning of party offices and the presidential ticket among the three geo-political zones in the south:Southeast,Southsouth and Southwest.
The governors also said yesterday that no amount of defections would destroy or diminish the party’s strong grassroots support.
These were some of the resolutions adopted at the Forum’s meeting in Gusau,Zamfara State.
The meeting lasted about five hours.
Wike, on Tuesday, expressed dissatisfaction at the constitution of the South-South Caretaker Committee by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and the retention of Ali Odefa as National Vice Chairman (South East).
The FCT Minister warned that a fresh crisis could erupt if the PDP refused to acknowledge the zonal congress that elected his ally, Dan Orbih, as National Vice Chairman, South-South.
Chairman of the forum and Bauchi State Governor Bala Muhammed who read the communiqué said they reaffirmed their full commitment to the resolutions of the party’s 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in July on the November 15 National Convention.
The forum asked party members across the country to ” see the PDP as the only democratic institution and viable alternative for restoring Nigeria along the path of good governance and national development.”
Mohammed said the governors ” extensively deliberated on the state of the nation, security situation, the erosion of democratic values as well as ongoing efforts to reposition the party and make adequate preparation for his forthcoming National Convention.”
They expressed dissatisfaction at the outcome of last by-elections in parts of the country in which the party performed poorly ,winning only the Ibadan North House of Representatives seat.
They attributed the poor performance to “serious intimidation and untold anti-democratic actions by the APC led federal government”, over-militarization of the election process and “ wide spread irregularities, vote buying and violence.”
They hailed party supporters and leaders for their resilience “ from orchestrated defections and distractions which cannot diminish our party’s strong grassroots appeal.”
They urged members and supporters of the party as well as the generality of Nigerians to hold fast to the vision and principles of the PDP.
On the security challenge in the country, the forum commended the initiatives of the Zamfara State government in significantly curbing threats within the state and called on the federal government to be more proactive in addressing challenges.
It said:”We condemn the continued monstrous killings in Katsina, Plateau, Niger and Benue s tates and other parts of the country and call on the federal government to be more responsive to the lives and properties of the citizenry.
At the meeting in addition to Mohammed and host Governor Dauda Lawal were Governors Agbu Kefas (Taraba), Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo).
It also had in attendance the Acting National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Damagum and the Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo.
Wike ,on Tuesday, expressed dissatisfaction at the constitution of the South-South Caretaker Committee by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) and the retention of Ali Odefa as National Vice Chairman (South East).
The FCT Minister warned that a fresh crisis could erupt if the PDP refused to acknowledge the zonal congress that elected his ally, Dan Orbih, as National Vice Chairman, South-South.
He said, “Well, it is over for now. A few things are remaining, and I have told them that they must do it. Our congress was held in Calabar, and there’s nothing anybody can tell us. If they want to have another round of crisis, so be it. In that congress, Chief Dan Orbih emerged as the National Vice Chairman. They never wanted the congress to be held, but congress was held.
“The so-called acting national chairman of the party wrote a letter to INEC after congress was held that the congress has been postponed. There is no two ways about it. The National Vice Chairman of PDP South-South is Chief Dan Orbih. If they don’t agree, that’s another round of crisis.”
He similarly rejected the zoning committee led by Governor Diri.
Besides,Wike’s supporters including some PDP state chairmen, national assembly members and other leaders in the Southeast and Southsouth rejected Thursday meeting in Lagos convened by Tombra Jumbo, the committee’s administrative secretary, at the behest of Governor Diri.
The PDP leaders said any decision “reached in secrecy” would be rejected following “the inexplicable exclusion of several national officers, eminent leaders, and critical stakeholders of the PDP.”
They added:“Shockingly, the minority leader in the national assembly and other principal officers of our party from the south-south and south-east were also deliberately sidelined and denied participation in a meeting where such far-reaching and sensitive decisions on zoning, power rotation, and political equity are to be discussed.
“Equally concerning is the deliberate omission of most former governors from the South East and south-south, who, by every standard of history, pedigree, and institutional memory, remain critical stakeholders in any conversation about the future direction of our party.
“Such a brazen disregard for established structures and statutory organs of the PDP not only offends the spirit of collective decision-making but also risks undermining the very foundation upon which our party was built.
“The PDP, since its inception, has been anchored on the values of inclusivity, equity, consultation, and collective responsibility.
“Any process that deliberately sidelines key stakeholders, ignores the legitimate authority of national officers, and excludes elected leaders and ranking lawmakers erodes trust, fuels division, and threatens party cohesion at a time when unity is most needed.
“For the avoidance of doubt, we categorically dismiss any resolutions, communiqués, or outcomes purportedly emanating from this meeting as neither binding on, nor reflective of, the collective will and aspirations of the PDP family across Southern Nigeria.”
