Minister of the Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has stated categorically that the PDP Convention, scheduled for March 28 and 29 2026, must hold, despite ongoing negotiations and reconciliation efforts within the party, stressing that the party’s schedule cannot be changed because of negotiations and adding that the Kabiru Turaki-led bloc of the party does not exist and their attempt to stop the convention by approaching the Supreme Court was in vain.
Minister Wike who also confirmed that he held talks with Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State and other leaders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gave the confirmation when he spoke to journalists during a project inspection Abuja, said these talks were part of efforts to reduce tensions in the party, adding that while he had met Governor Mohammed face to face, discussions with other party figures were also ongoing.
Though the Minister did not give full details of what was discussed with Governor Mohammed or other stakeholders, he however made it clear that the convention, which is expected to host 2,500 delegates from Sunday March 29, will go ahead as scheduled, even as he maintained that reconciliation within the party would not end with the convention, describing it as a continuous process aimed at strengthening unity ahead of future elections.
On zoning arrangements, the minister confirmed that party positions had already been distributed across regions to ensure balance and consensus.
“We have already zoned our positions. Every zone has its own slots. The presidency has been zoned to the South, while the chairmanship is zoned to the North. We believe this consensus arrangement will make the process easier.
“For the first time, the PDP is presenting a unified front, rather than the usual ‘unity list’ that often reflects internal divisions. There are no factions; everyone has agreed on the direction we are taking,” he said.
Wike also gave an update on preparations, indicating that logistics and arrangements were nearly complete.
“We are fully prepared. This visit is to assess final arrangements. As I said, we expect to reach about 95 per cent by tomorrow, and everything will be set.
“Seating arrangements for all states have been completed, and the VIP section is ready. We do not expect more than 2,500 delegates,” he added.
The inspection tour was attended by key party figures, including Chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee, Okezie Ikpeazu; Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Mao Ohuabunwa; Chairman of the National Caretaker Working Committee, Mohammed Abdulrahman; and National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, among others.
The planned national convention comes against the backdrop of a protracted leadership crisis that has plagued the party since November 2025.
Also in a related development, the FCT Minister while addressing Rivers PDP stakeholders in Abuja during a pre-convention reception he organized for them, spoke on a wide range of issues particularly the emergence of the next Rivers State governor and sundry matters.
Below are excerpts from his address.
“I have been hearing people say that I have endorsed them , it’s their business. What happened to us before will not happen again. Nobody should be carried away with the speculations on social media, I’m not there . Whatever you read on social media please know that I’m not there. At the appropriate time we will me to take decision and look at ourselves eyeball to eyeball , and tell ourselves the truth.
“No amount of intimidation, blackmail will make me to make the mistake I made again. If anybody is bringing money to you, it’s your business but I will not make the mistake again. If anybody brings anything to you, take as you want to take, but I will not, because God is not stupid. God cannot give you an opportunity to correct your mistake and you tell Him that He is stupid.
You must thank God for giving you another opportunity because it is not everyone that will have such opportunity to correct their past mistake.
“This time our eyes are open and our ears are on the ground. So, if you like, for your selfishness go and collect electric pole contract or drainage contract, that’s your business, I’m not there. Whoever is meeting you and telling you that he is close to me, I want to tell you that everybody is close to me. If the person can be, you too can be.
“If anybody says he has money to spend , no problem, we will swallow your money because we have God . We have done it before and we are going to do it again. I have been hearing so many things, some people are sending people to write on social media but the chairman of Elders forum and our leader know that I can not take any decision alone without calling them.
“When we want to take decision, if they don’t agree, I will make them to agree and how I do it is not your business. It’s politics. I will tell them why it should be so and make them to agree. I will not fall for all those ethnic sentiment and blackmail, we will support someone who understand where we are coming from, someone who is committed to us, someone who understands how we feel, how we started, someone who stood strong when it mattered most.
“This time, where you come from doesn’t matter, the part of Rivers State doesn’t matter, what matters is that you come from Rivers State. You can come from anywhere but it must be someone who knows the pains we went through and how blood was gushing.
“You’re sending people to social media to preach ethnicity, it will not work but if you want to fight me, Ok. I don’t want someone who will go and bring people who will fight us tomorrow. He who has ears , let him hear , don’t say that I didn’t tell you .
“I have been hearing that people are campaigning, spending money, don’t worry I will teach you how to spend money”.