By Martins Ajayi Ibikunle
The political trajectory of Nyesom Wike has become one of the most controversial chapters in Nigeria’s democratic history. What is unfolding is not just political strategy—it is a display of raw influence that underscores the steady collapse of party discipline and the triumph of personal power over institutional order.
The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has clearly outgrown the label of “internal wrangling.” It is now an existential battle, with Wike—currently serving in an APC-led government—at the center of its fragmentation.
At the heart of this crisis lies a troubling paradox: a man whose political identity was built within the PDP now operates from within the ruling structure while simultaneously weakening the very party that made him. This contradiction is not just unusual—it is destabilizing.
How does a leading figure of the opposition justify a position that undermines his own party’s ability to contest power effectively? The idea that the PDP should not even field a presidential candidate, simply because of shifting personal alliances, strikes at the core of what opposition politics represents. It erodes the very concept of a credible alternative and reduces democracy to a one-sided contest.
Recent developments in Abuja have only deepened these concerns. Factional meetings, disputed gatherings, and the reported involvement of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in controversial sessions point to a dangerous weakening of institutional integrity. When court orders are ignored and political actors act with impunity, the rule of law gives way to the rule of influence.
Even more troubling is the silence—from both within and outside the party. Where are the elders? Where are the architects of the PDP who once positioned it as a formidable political force? Their inaction is no longer neutral; it is complicity.
A democracy without a strong opposition is democracy in name only. It becomes vulnerable to excesses, unchecked authority, and eventual decline. The PDP’s founding figures must recognize this moment for what it is—a decisive turning point—and act with urgency.
If one individual can so profoundly shape, divide, and weaken a major political party while aligning with its rival, then Nigeria’s multi-party system stands on fragile ground. What is at stake is not just the future of the PDP, but the health of Nigeria’s democracy itself.
The time to act is now. History will not be kind to those who stood by while the opposition collapsed under the weight of internal sabotage and personal ambition.
— Martins Ajayi Ibikunle
Journalist and Community Leader, Ekiti State
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