PDP Crisis Deepens: Governors’ Forum Chair Bala Mohammed In Fierce Face-off With Wike

The February 29 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is on shaky ground as reconciliation efforts among warring factions have failed to make significant progress.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The meeting is expected to address several contentious issues, but the escalating conflicts among party stalwarts continue to overshadow attempts at resolution. The PDP appears to be treading on unstable ground as it struggles to navigate its internal crises.

A major issue likely to dominate the discussions is the heated dispute between Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike and the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State.

The two leaders have been embroiled in a bitter exchange over the party’s future. Governor Mohammed recently responded to Wike’s criticism of his opposition to President Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills by describing Wike as a “transactional politician” and a “liability” to the party and Tinubu’s administration. In a statement through his media adviser, Mukhtar Gidado, Mohammed accused Wike of prioritizing personal ambition over loyalty, principles, and collective interests.

Wike retaliated by calling out Mohammed for his alleged inability to provide effective leadership as Chairman of the Governors’ Forum. He also accused Mohammed of holding the position out of “political greed,” arguing that by convention, the role should have gone to a PDP governor from the South, given that the previous chairman and the party’s national chairman are both from the North.

Adding to the uncertainty, the Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led National Reconciliation Committee, tasked with resolving internal disputes, has made little progress since its last meeting with the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) on October 23, 2024. While the committee was expected to address key grievances ahead of the NEC meeting, no tangible outcomes have been reported.

“The committee has fresh fires to put out,” a party insider told Sunday Vanguard, underscoring the mounting challenges facing the PDP as it heads toward its pivotal NEC meeting.