PDP CONVENTION: WIKE’S CAMP MEETS TODAY TO TAKE POSITION. (PHOTO).

 PDP Convention: Wike’s camp meets today to take position

 

• Minister denies knowledge of Ibadan venue, vows to challenge illegitimate decisions

• Defends Tinubu, faults Babachir, Amaechi over attacks on FG

A fresh row is brewing in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the planned national convention, as the camp of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, is set to meet today to decide its position ahead of the exercise.

Wike, who appeared on a Channels Television programme yesterday, dismissed the report suggesting that a parallel convention was being plotted, insisting that no formal decision had been taken by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) on the venue.

“I am not aware that any convention is holding in Ibadan. As a NEC member, nobody has informed me, and no such decision has been voted on by NEC. If a few people gather to make pronouncements, that cannot pass for NEC,” Wike said.

When asked if he would attend the Ibadan gathering reportedly fixed for November, he retorted: “When NEC meets, we will know. Until then, I don’t know about Ibadan. Nobody has agreed on that. So, how can you say I am planning a parallel convention? Planning to do what?”

His remark is coming amid mounting speculations that Wike’s bloc within the party was uncomfortable with arrangements spearheaded by the convention planning committee and may be considering alternative options.

But in a swift reaction, PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, dismissed such claims as baseless, insisting that the party had followed due process in preparing for the convention.

According to him, the National Convention Planning Committee, chaired by Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, had already commenced consultations and inaugurated sub-committees, with all state chapters, organs of the party, and stakeholders duly represented.

“The party is ready for the national convention scheduled by NEC for Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on November 15 and 16, 2025,” Ologunagba said. He stressed that the convention process was transparent and inclusive, noting that the party’s organs, including the Board of Trustees (BoT), the Governors’ Forum, state chapters, and founding members, were fully involved.

Ologunagba, who spoke on allegations of a parallel convention, said: “We cannot be aware of a non-existent thing. That is pure speculation. Ours is a party of process. INEC officials have been in attendance at all our meetings, and we are in sync with them. The talk of a parallel convention is nothing more than conjecture, maybe hallucination. The PDP’s train has since left the station—we are already in Ibadan as we speak.”

However, Wike has defended President Bola Tinubu against recent criticisms, insisting that while economic hardship in the country is real, the government’s reform policies remain the only sustainable path to long-term recovery.

The minister described Lawal’s outburst as rooted in “personal bitterness,” alleging that the former SGF turned against Tinubu after he failed to get the number two position in 2023.

He said: “Criticism is welcome, but insulting the President is unacceptable. To claim that the government is unapproachable is wrong. Governance isn’t about everyone meeting the President directly. Ministers and advisers are there for a reason.”