As preparations for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention intensify, key party figures have issued a six-point demand to the National Working Committee (NWC) to ensure fairness and unity.
The decision was made during a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held on Monday night, September 1, 2025, at the residence of Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory Minister and former Rivers State Governor, in Abuja.
The meeting included prominent former governors Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), alongside PDP National Secretary Senator Sam Anyanwu.
In a communiqué signed by Ortom and issued early Tuesday, the group emphasized that the PDP must recommit to equity, fairness, and inclusivity to remain a viable opposition force in Nigeria. They warned that failure to meet their demands would render the upcoming national convention invalid, as it would disenfranchise legitimate party members.
The Six Demands:
- Conduct fresh congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra states in strict compliance with existing court judgments.
- Hold a new South East Zonal Congress promptly.
- Respect the outcome of the South South Congress in Calabar, upheld by court rulings.
- Immediately conduct the Ekiti LGA congresses in line with judicial pronouncements.
- Avoid micro-zoning of party offices beyond the general zoning formula adopted by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to maintain peace and stability.
- Retain the national chairmanship in the North Central zone, consistent with the 2021 convention zoning arrangement.
The stakeholders described the PDP as being at a “defining crossroads,” cautioning that ignoring court rulings or sidelining members would deepen internal divisions. “Unity cannot be built on disenfranchisement, exclusion, or the neglect of valid judicial pronouncements,” the communiqué stated, stressing that only transparency and fairness can ensure a credible convention.
They urged the PDP leadership to avoid actions that could plunge the party into further crisis, noting that the party’s foundation rests on inclusivity, fairness, and justice.
With the 2027 general elections looming, the intervention by Wike, Ortom, Fayose, Ikpeazu, and others underscores the urgent need for the PDP to resolve internal conflicts and strengthen its position as Nigeria’s leading opposition party.
What You Should Know
On September 1, 2025, influential PDP stakeholders, including Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ayo Fayose, Okezie Ikpeazu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, and Sam Anyanwu, issued a six-point demand to the PDP’s National Working Committee ahead of the national convention scheduled for November 15–16, 2025, in Ibadan.
The demands focus on holding fresh congresses in Ebonyi, Anambra, and Ekiti, conducting a new South East Zonal Congress, respecting the Calabar South South Congress outcome, avoiding micro-zoning, and retaining the national chairmanship in the North Central zone.
The group warned that non-compliance could invalidate the convention and deepen party divisions, emphasizing fairness and adherence to court rulings to maintain PDP’s credibility as an opposition force.
