“I Don’t Go Into the Gutters With People” — Makinde Replies Wike on PDP Crisis

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has dismissed threats from the camp of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, over the forthcoming Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention, insisting he would not be drawn into personal attacks.

Makinde, speaking with journalists in Lagos on Thursday after the Southern Zonal Consultative Meeting of the party, stressed that political disagreements must remain focused on issues rather than personal battles.

“Personally, when people go low, or they go into the gutters, I don’t go with them. Some people are not going into the gutters. We will reach out to them. That is democracy,” he said.

The governor noted that despite the internal wrangling, the PDP remains strong across the country. “I can disagree with people, but there shouldn’t be anything personal here. It should be about what we are giving to Nigerians because they are watching. In all our states, they showed last Saturday that PDP is not dead. In most other places of the 12 states, PDP came second. It is an indication to us that if we continue to work hard, we can reclaim the confidence of Nigerians,” Makinde added.

Wike, who has been at odds with the party’s leadership, had earlier warned of a renewed crisis if the PDP refused to recognise the South-South zonal congress that produced Dan Orbih as National Vice Chairman. Appearing on Channels Television’s *Politics Today* on Tuesday, he said: “There are no two ways about it. The National Vice Chairman of PDP South-South is Chief Dan Orbih. If they don’t agree, that’s another round of crisis.”

The minister also rejected the planned national convention scheduled for November, saying he was not part of the process and accusing the party of sidelining the National Executive Committee (NEC) in decision-making. “If the matter is not resolved, there will be a crisis. I am not aware that any convention would be held in Ibadan. As a NEC member, nobody has informed me, and no such decision has been voted on by NEC,” Wike insisted.

The PDP had earlier announced a 110-member organising committee for its elective national convention, set for November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State.