Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential flagbearer in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, alongside Senator Aminu Tambuwal, of being largely responsible for plunging the party into its current state of disarray.
Speaking on Friday during an interview on Channels Television’s PoliticsToday, Fayose openly blamed key figures for what he described as the collapse of internal cohesion within the opposition party.
“Atiku destroyed the PDP, Tambuwal destroyed the PDP, and Ayu destroyed it. Politics is not fair; life itself is not balanced,” he declared.
Fayose maintained that although he remains a loyal member of the PDP, he chose honesty over political convenience when he openly backed Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential race.
”Everybody stands where they will be able to say the truth to Nigerians. I am not contesting elections, and I have not asked anybody for favours.”
He stressed that his political stance was never hidden from the public.
“Openly, I supported Asiwaju Tinubu in 2023, and I didn’t hide it. Til now, I am still there. I didn’t jump. I have said it to you, I am not a member of the APC, and I will never be,” Fayose stated.
The former governor also reflected on the political tensions in Rivers State, saying he never anticipated a fallout between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. He cautioned the Rivers governor to be mindful in navigating the situation.
“Let me quickly say this. I never knew this thing would ever happen between Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike.
“I was sitting on the high table the day Governor Fubara was sworn in, and we were on the high table in Rivers. And I told Wike that I want to say one or two things to Fubara not to betray you,” he added.
PDP Crises
The PDP has, in recent years, been mired in internal conflicts that have strained party unity and significantly altered its political balance.
Central to the prolonged crisis are Atiku Abubakar, former National Chairman Iyorchia Ayu, and Aminu Tambuwal.
The roots of the turmoil can be traced back to the PDP presidential primary held in May 2022.
Atiku contested the ticket alongside Tambuwal, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, and other aspirants.
Tambuwal eventually stepped down from the race and publicly endorsed Atiku, a strategic move that paved the way for the former vice president to clinch the party’s nomination.
However, Wike, backed by a group of governors, later demanded Ayu’s resignation, accusing him of actions that weakened internal balance and deepened divisions within the party.
The bloc of five governors, popularly known as the “G5,” argued that the distribution of leadership positions and key decisions tilted unfairly against southern interests, undermining equity within the PDP.
Atiku and Ayu, on their part, rejected the calls for the chairman’s removal, insisting that forcing him out without due process would violate the party’s constitution and further destabilise its structure.
Ayu’s refusal to step aside—despite an earlier understanding that he would resign if a northerner emerged as presidential candidate—created a lingering legitimacy crisis that trailed the PDP through the 2023 elections and continues to affect the party amid its ongoing 2026 stalemate.
What you should know
Ayo Fayose’s remarks highlight long-standing fractures within the PDP that date back to the 2022 presidential primaries.
Disagreements over zoning, leadership balance, and unfulfilled agreements weakened party unity ahead of the 2023 elections.
These unresolved tensions continue to shape internal disputes, affect alliances, and challenge the PDP’s ability to reposition itself as a formidable opposition ahead of future national polls.
