By: Lydia Zakka
The political crisis within Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is reaching a boiling point as high-level members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) are accused of corruption, betrayal, and internal sabotage.
A recent closed-door meeting in Abuja between the sacked National Secretary of the PDP, Senator Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chief Nyesom Wike, has brought to light serious allegations against key figures in the party’s leadership. Sources have confirmed that Anyanwu, who was dismissed following the controversial ruling by the Court of Appeal in December 2024, is now vowing to expose several party leaders, including Acting National Chairman Ambassador Iliya Damagum, National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade, and others.
During the meeting, Anyanwu reportedly accused the Acting National Chairman, Damagum, of betraying him and other key allies within the party. He promised to bring down several top party officials, claiming they were involved in corrupt activities that have harmed the party. Anyanwu detailed several allegations, including that Ajibade had used fake legal documents to collect money from the party, National Financial Secretary Daniel Woyegikuro had been selling nomination forms without remitting the proceeds, and National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba had been presenting unsubstantiated bills. In a further blow to the party’s credibility, Anyanwu also accused National Organizing Secretary Umar Bature of selling party tickets to the highest bidder.
While the accusations were made behind closed doors, they are expected to reverberate across the party’s fragile political landscape, with Anyanwu and his allies promising to expose these claims when the time comes. The growing discontent within the PDP suggests a deepening crisis that threatens to tear the party apart as it prepares for future elections.
Adding fuel to the fire, Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, did not hold back in his criticism of both the PDP leadership and certain governors within the party. Wike accused the Acting National Chairman Damagum of betraying him after he had offered strong support during Damagum’s rise to power. He also targeted Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang and Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri, accusing them of stabbing him in the back after seeking his assistance during their respective political battles.
In perhaps the most shocking revelation, Wike declared that he would do everything in his power to scuttle the presidential ambitions of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who is viewed by many as a potential contender for the 2027 presidential race. Wike made it clear that he would go to great lengths to prevent Makinde from becoming the PDP’s presidential candidate, claiming that what he did to the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would be nothing compared to the obstacles he plans to place in Makinde’s path.
These developments suggest a party in disarray, with powerful figures like Wike and Anyanwu now at odds with key party leaders and governors. The internal divisions within the PDP have raised concerns about the party’s future and its ability to mount a unified challenge in the 2027 elections.
With Wike vowing to disrupt Makinde’s political rise and Anyanwu promising to expose corruption at the highest levels of the PDP, the party is facing one of its most significant crises in recent memory. The next steps for the PDP will likely determine its future direction as it grapples with internal conflicts and struggles for control.
As the tension within the party continues to build, the public and party members alike are watching closely, with many questioning whether the PDP can reconcile its differences or if it is doomed to continue its internal infighting.
