In a bold move to reshape the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) strategy, Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike urged the party to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to southern Nigeria, citing fairness after eight years of northern leadership under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking on June 9, 2025, in Abuja, Wike delivered a communique following a meeting of the “Concerned Stakeholders of the PDP,” a group of influential party figures including three former governors. The directive, aimed at averting the PDP’s “inexorable drift towards extinction,” reaffirmed Senator Sam Anyanwu as the legitimate National Secretary and declared unauthorized party actions null, intensifying Wike’s push to restore discipline amid internal crises.
Wike, a former Rivers State governor and PDP stalwart, emphasized constitutional equity, arguing that zoning the presidency southwards aligns with Nigeria’s regional power-sharing norms. The meeting, held at Wike’s Abuja residence, addressed the party’s leadership turmoil, particularly the dispute over the National Secretary role between Anyanwu and Udeh-Okoye, and the acting chairmanship of Umar Damagum.
Wike criticized detractors, notably Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, for undermining reconciliation efforts, accusing them of playing “political games” detrimental to the PDP’s survival. The communique underscored the Supreme Court’s ruling on party structure, warning that failure to respect it risks further fragmentation. Wike’s stance, while galvanizing his southern allies, has deepened rifts with northern PDP factions, including Atiku Abubakar’s camp, which favors a northern candidate.
The call for zoning, coupled with Wike’s public support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, has fueled speculation about his loyalty, yet he remains a formidable force in the PDP’s South-South stronghold. The meeting’s resolutions signal a critical juncture for the PDP, as stakeholders brace for a contentious National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to chart the party’s 2027 path.