Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido has announced that he will stay away from all Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) activities until the removal of Wike from the party is carried out. Lamido made this clear in a phone interview on Tuesday, expressing deep dissatisfaction with Federal Capital Territory Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike’s role within the party.
Lamido, a founding member of the PDP, called Wike a “disaster” and accused him of undermining the party from within. He emphasized that the removal of Wike from the party is essential to restore unity and discipline within the PDP.
Although still a party member, Lamido said he would abstain from leadership meetings as long as Wike and former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom remain on the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT). He also criticized the appointment of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary, despite rejection from his own zone and party governors, highlighting ongoing divisions.
On Wike’s controversial involvement in the sealing of the PDP National Secretariat, Lamido condemned the action as destructive and disrespectful. “To seal the PDP secretariat — the party that produced you — no matter the grievances, is like destroying your own home,” he said.
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He rejected Wike’s claim of financing the party, comparing it to a son caring for his mother but not gaining control over her. Lamido praised President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in reopening the PDP office, stating that it exposed Wike’s unreliability and lack of political values.
Recalling his tenure as National Secretary of the former Social Democratic Party (SDP), Lamido stressed the importance of party discipline and sanctions for those who undermine it. He lamented that today, figures like Wike who openly work against the PDP are still tolerated.
“I will stay away from PDP activities until the removal of Wike from the party is completed and people like Ortom leave the leadership,” Lamido declared, underscoring his firm position.
The call for the removal of Wike from the party highlights deep divisions threatening the PDP’s unity and fuels growing demands for reform. As internal conflicts escalate, the party faces increasing pressure to resolve leadership disputes ahead of future elections.
The Brawl Between Wike and Sule Lamido
What began as a subtle difference of opinion in 2022 has since snowballed into an open war of words between former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and ex-Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido—two senior figures in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The clash was ignited by Lamido’s comments during a Tuesday night appearance on Channels Television. He dismissed any need for reconciliation between Wike and PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, bluntly stating that “nobody wronged Wike.”
Governor Wike, visibly upset by those comments, responded strongly through a statement released by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri. He accused Lamido of being disrespectful and attempting to stir division at a time when many within the party are pushing for unity and healing.
“We have observed with disgust the disdainful remarks made by the former governor,” the statement began. “Alhaji Lamido may have a right to his opinion, but he has no right to undermine Governor Wike, whose contributions to the PDP are well known and respected.”
The statement went on to label Lamido as a “spent force” politically, pointing to the PDP’s electoral failures in Jigawa State under his leadership as evidence of declining influence. Wike’s camp argued that, despite not claiming personal control over the votes in Rivers, the governor remains a powerful voice capable of shaping political outcomes in the state.
The broader context of the dispute is the unresolved rift between Wike and Atiku Abubakar. Following the PDP’s internal disagreements after the 2023 presidential primaries, Wike has been critical of the party’s leadership and its handling of the fallout. Lamido’s comments, which seemed to dismiss Wike’s grievances, have now reignited the conflict.
Wike’s team accused Lamido and his allies of playing roles in past mistakes that led to the PDP’s loss in 2015 and warned against repeating history. “If Lamido has any conscience, he won’t be making such disparaging remarks about someone many consider a pillar of the PDP since 2015,” the statement read.
This latest clash reveals just how fragile internal unity still is within the PDP, especially as it begins to prepare for future elections. While some party members call for reconciliation and strategic focus against the ruling APC, others appear more intent on settling old scores — a situation that may further complicate the PDP’s path to resurgence.
