Ahead of its national convention scheduled for November 15-16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria’s main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing significant internal pressures. A group of influential figures, dubbed 'eminent personalities,' has issued a stringent six-point demand to the party's National Working Committee (NWC), threatening to invalidate the convention if their conditions are not met. This collective action highlights deep-seated calls for equity, fairness, and inclusivity within the party.

The demands emerged from a high-level stakeholders’ meeting held at the Abuja residence of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike. Key attendees included former governors Dr. Samuel Ortom (Benue State), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State), alongside National Secretary Senator Sam Anyanwu, National Vice-Chairman (South-South) Dan Orbih, and former Senator George Sekibo. Speaking on behalf of the group, Dr. Samuel Ortom emphasized the necessity for the PDP to commit to these principles to maintain its credibility as a viable alternative for Nigerians.

The core demands articulated by these PDP heavyweights include: a mandate for fresh congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra states, strictly adhering to existing court judgments; an urgent conduction of a new South-East Zonal Congress; respect for the outcome of the South-South Congress in Calabar, which has been upheld by the courts; and immediate conduct of Ekiti LGA congresses in line with judicial pronouncements. Furthermore, they demanded that there should be no micro-zoning of offices beyond the general zoning formula already adopted by the National Executive Committee (NEC) to foster peace and stability. Crucially, they insisted that the national chairmanship position must remain in the North Central, consistent with the zoning arrangement established at the 2021 convention.

The communique from the Wike-led group sternly warned that any failure to meet these demands would “render any purported national convention invalid, as legitimate members of the party would be disenfranchised.” They stressed that the PDP is at a “defining crossroads” and that unity cannot be achieved through disenfranchisement, exclusion, or the neglect of valid judicial pronouncements, advocating for transparency and fairness as the sole guarantors of a credible convention. They underscored that the party was built on inclusivity, fairness, and justice, and must rise above narrow interests to reclaim its pride of place.

In response to these internal challenges, the PDP governors, led by the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, adopted a defiant stance. During the inauguration of the 119-member National Convention Organising Committee, the governors warned against attempts to scuttle the November 15 convention. Mohammed declared that the governors are