The feuding camps in the main opposition People’s Democratic Party are locked in a deep battle for the soul of the party ahead of Monday’s 102nd National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting.

Zoning of the 2027 presidential ticket is one of the major decisions that will be taken. Three options are before the party: zoning the ticket to the South, throwing it open or zoning it to the North. However, major stakeholders are in favour of zoning it to the South.

A section of the party is mulling a fourth option of backing President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, which a sizable portion of stakeholders consider as political suicide.

PDP govs meet in Zamfara

Saturday, Vanguard learned that PDP governors will meet in Zamfara today to discuss the party’s unity. On Sunday, a National Caucus meeting will take place at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge ahead of the NEC meeting.

The caucus is expected to help settle differences and build consensus before Monday’s NEC meeting. The aim is to avoid rancour, especially between supporters of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Mr. Nyesom Wike and Oyo State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, and to ensure that the meeting does not drag on unnecessarily. A key focus will be reaching agreement on the zoning formula.

The Board of Trustees (BoT) is also expected to meet on Monday before the NEC, as part of wider efforts to keep the peace and strengthen unity in the party.

Party sources are confident that the NEC meeting will be calm, stressing that all these consultations are meant to secure a consensus, particularly on zoning.

The PDP, once Nigeria’s dominant political force, is facing one of the gravest crises in its 27-year history. As the party prepares for its National Elective Convention slated for November 15–16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, a fierce internal power struggle threatens to tear its fabric and weaken its chances ahead of the 2027 general election.

At the centre of the storm is a showdown between two powerful figures: Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde. More than a clash of personalities, the battle is over the party’s soul and strategic direction, with far-reaching implications for its relevance as Nigeria’s main opposition.

The 102nd National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting billed for Monday in Abuja is widely seen as a turning point.

Consultations are ongoing to avert rancour, but unresolved issues of zoning, leadership tussles, and anti-party activities remain major fault lines. The outcome of both Monday’s NEC and the Ibadan convention will decide whether the PDP rebuilds as a united opposition or sinks deeper into crisis, giving the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, a free run in 2027.

Roots of the Division

The present crisis traces back to the 2023 elections, when the G-5 governors — Wike, Makinde, Samuel Ortom, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi — rebelled against the PDP’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and backed APC’s Bola Tinubu. Their revolt, fuelled by anger over the refusal to zone the ticket to the South, fractured the PDP campaign and paved the way for Tinubu’s victory.

Two years later, the fallout persists. Wike, now serving in Tinubu’s cabinet, openly backs the President’s 2027 re-election bid, drawing outrage from PDP loyalists. Former Jigawa Governor, Sule Lamido, has led calls for Wike’s expulsion. Makinde, meanwhile, has rebranded himself as a stabilising force, pushing reforms, inclusivity, and transparency to reposition the party. Their contrasting approaches have now crystallized into a defining showdown.

Zoning Dispute and Lagos Meeting

A recent zoning consultative meeting in Lagos, chaired by Bayelsa Governor Douye Diri and attended by Makinde, Osun’s Ademola Adeleke, and BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, sought consensus on sharing 19 National Working Committee, NWC, positions. Makinde stressed inclusivity, but Wike’s loyalists from the South-South boycotted the session, dismissing its resolutions as unrepresentative. Their anger centres on the refusal to confirm Chief Dan Orbih as South-South Vice Chairman.

The boycott underlined the struggle between Wike’s camp, bent on consolidating regional dominance, and Makinde’s bloc, which pushes for transparency. National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, has since warned against actions that undermine unity, threatening sanctions against offenders. Still, divisions remain deep ahead of the Ibadan convention.

Discipline Dilemma

The PDP is also torn over how to handle anti-party activities. Ogun PDP chairman, Abayomi Tella, recently endorsed Tinubu’s 2027 bid, while Wike continues to identify openly with the APC. Party leaders face a tough choice: sanctioning erring members at the risk of triggering defections, or tolerating them and appearing weak. Many argue Wike’s financial and political network, which has sustained many within the PDP, shields him from discipline despite his open defiance.

Make-or-Break NEC

Monday’s NEC is expected to ratify the zoning formula, approve convention timetable, and deliberate on sanctions. It could adopt the Duoye Diri-led zoning plan, impose discipline on erring members, or choose reconciliation to preserve unity. Whichever path it takes, the meeting will set the tone for Ibadan.

Observers say Wike’s disruptive influence and Makinde’s reformist drive will shape the outcome. A credible, rancour-free convention could restore confidence and reposition the PDP as a viable opposition. A chaotic gathering, however, may push the party further into irrelevance. Former Benue Governor, Gabriel Suswam, warns the PDP is already in the “Intensive Care Unit” and risks collapse before 2027 unless urgent reforms are embraced. For the PDP, survival now depends on whether it can resolve its internal wars, enforce discipline, and present a united front. Before it can ask Nigerians to trust it with power again, the party must first prove it can govern itself. (Saturday Vanguard)