The Pathfinder
Monday November 17, 2025
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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday, at its National Convention holding in Ibadan, Oyo State, announced expulsion of 11 of its chieftains believed to be working against its progress.
The chieftains expelled included former Rivers State governor and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike; former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, among others.
Details have emerged as to how a meeting of the leaders of the party held in Abuja late on Thursday and Friday, prepared the ground for the resolutions taken at the elective convention held on Saturday, in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Sources close to the PDP told the Nigerian Tribune that the meeting on Thursday night was an eye-opener to many stakeholders in the party, with some leaders getting to know the extent of cracks within the party.
Though a source stated that the meeting reconvened on Friday, there was nothing new added to the resolutions already reached on the previous day.
It was gathered that the meeting had in attendance the Minority leaders as well as the caucus leaders in the Senate and House of Representatives, and that each of the leaders was asked to state his position on whether the Ibadan convention should go hard on those regarded as detractors in the party or open for further reconciliation.
“A key consideration at the Thursday meeting was the suggestion by a former President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, who had advised the party to adopt the caretaker committee option, rather than go ahead with the national convention,” a source said, adding that each caucus leader from the National Assembly and the zonal leaders was asked for his opinion on the matter.
It was gathered that one caucus leader from the South-South spoke loudly on the need to shoot down the caretaker committee option because he believed that it would only help to prolong the crisis in the party.
According to the submissions made available to the Nigerian Tribune, the member from South-South was said to have told the gathering that some members of the party were already “sold to the other side” and that constituting a caretaker committee would only enable them to populate the committee and continue to drag the party into crisis.
It was gathered that the leaders from the Senate were more attuned to the caretaker committee option, and the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, spoke along that line.
But other leaders across the geopolitical zones were of the view that the crisis in the party has been allowed to fester for too long and that the time to act is now.
A source said that the Abuja meeting resolved that if the PDP does not act to save itself, it would stand accused of killing democracy in Nigeria.
At one stage, the meeting was said to have concluded that the party must take a stand between sinking deeper into crisis and facing the battle head-on.
A source stated that the party leaders concluded that it was time to act and leave the doors open for whoever is willing to remain, “after all, Mr Peter Obi contested the 2023 election and made an impact without a single governor in his camp.
“We concluded that not doing anything at all is dangerous for the party. As for the adjoining issues relating to the prevailing environment of the Ibadan convention, our thinking is that the new executive should take charge and handle things,” a source further said.
Meanwhile, it was learnt on Sunday that the battle for the soul of the PDP would soon shift to the National Assembly, where the two Minority leaders, the Senate and the House, are seen as opposed to the new direction of the party.
A source said that the new leaders of the party would have to look into the mode of emergence of the leadership of the legislature to ensure that those who would represent the party’s interest are those who believe in the tenets of the party.
Sources also said that in deciding to expel the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, former Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, the national secretary of the party, Senator Sam Anyanwu, the South South National Vice Chairman, Chief Dan Osi Orbih, and others, the party leaders who converged in Ibadan, had concluded on a long-drawn battle at the courts, which its new leadership are said to be well prepared for.
“The Thursday night meeting, which laid the foundation for the Ibadan resolutions, looked into all angles and concluded that the party has to take that decisive step and move things forward. That was why we had to swear in the new executive immediately, because the convention, the highest decision-making organ of the party, had dissolved the existing executive committee to pave the way for the Tanimu Turaki-led executive committee,” a source said.
In a reaction to his expulsion from the party, Wike, through his media aide, Lere Olayinka said, “They went Ibadan to start dirty December in November
“When people decide to start their own dirty December in November, one can’t but ignore whatever comes out of their mouths.
“They gathered in Ibadan to do social party, enjoyed themselves and got intoxicated, they are free to say anything.”
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