By Ihechi Enyinnaya
A major political earthquake has struck the Group 5, a group of five former and present governor’s within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and founder of the group, former Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has declared his withdrawal from all existing agreements within the party, citing betrayal, dishonesty, and a deepening internal crisis.
This latest development signals a dramatic collapse of the once-powerful G5 alliance and raises significant concerns over the future of the opposition party ahead of upcoming electoral contests.
In a detailed and strongly worded statement released on Sunday, titled “PDP Crisis: My Position,” Wike painted a picture of a party plagued by treachery, broken agreements, and leadership failure. He accused some top-ranking PDP governors and stakeholders — notably Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde — of sabotaging internal party agreements and engineering crises that have continued to erode trust within the party’s leadership structure.
From Alliance to Animosity: The Fall of the G5
The G5, a group of five aggrieved PDP governors formed before the 2023 general elections to protest the zoning of the party’s presidential ticket, once wielded considerable influence. Initially united by a shared vision of internal reform and power rotation, the alliance has now unravelled under the weight of internal contradictions and clashing egos.
Wike revealed that a key meeting held in Lagos — aimed at reconciling differences within the G5 — ended with a fragile truce. He directly blamed Governor Seyi Makinde for the ongoing crisis, branding him as the “architect of our problems” due to his repeated failure to honour agreements. Despite agreeing to move forward, Wike said the trust was short-lived.
This was followed by an expanded meeting at the Abuja residence of former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, which included Governors Umaru Fintiri, Bala Mohammed, and others. Tensions ran high as Wike accused Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed of hiding under the title of Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum to flout internal resolutions.
According to Wike, the Abuja meeting produced key resolutions:
Senator Samuel Anyanwu would remain the National Secretary of the PDP, in line with a Supreme Court judgment.
Legal matters relating to Rivers State were to be withdrawn.
The party’s lawsuit advocating for a state of emergency in Rivers was to be dropped.
All parties were to uphold the agreement strictly.
But before these resolutions could take effect, Wike claims they were brazenly undermined. He alleged that Makinde, in collaboration with Enugu Governor Peter Mbah, convened a South-East leaders’ meeting to force the nomination of Ude Okoye as National Secretary, threatening to leave the PDP if their demand wasn’t met.
“Even before the Bukola Saraki Reconciliation Committee could commence work, the gentleman’s agreement we reached was already being crudely violated,” Wike said.
He further accused Makinde and his allies of manipulating the PDP National Secretariat to push the Deputy National Secretary into acting as National Secretary — in direct contradiction to party agreements and legal precedent.
INEC Snubs PDP Congress over Signature Dispute
The power struggle within the PDP reached a new low on May 24, 2025, when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) boycotted the North-Central Zonal Elective Congress held in Jos. The reason, Wike noted, was because the letter inviting INEC was signed by the Deputy National Secretary instead of Senator Anyanwu — the legally recognized signatory. This misstep led to the congress being aborted, sending shockwaves through party ranks.
Wike described the development as “undeniably distasteful, provocative and annoying,” lamenting the lengths to which party stakeholders have gone to undermine unity and legality.
“I Will Fight On Until Justice Is Attained”
Expressing deep frustration over what he described as repeated betrayal by his allies, Wike declared his total withdrawal from all previous agreements within the PDP. He emphasized his long-standing commitment to the party, noting that he had remained loyal since 1998 and had supported many of the same governors now allegedly working against him.
“What is more painful is that I contributed substantially to most of these governors winning their elections, yet I have not made any personal demands on any of them,” he said.
Wike also highlighted his belief that internal trust could still have been maintained, but the constant breach of resolutions — including in the North-Central crisis — has left him with no choice but to disengage.
“I have now firmly decided to pull out of all agreements hitherto reached. I have decided to fight on until justice is attained,” he declared.