The Peoples Democratic Party kicked out a number of high-profile members from its ongoing 2025 National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, today for activities that went against the party. These members included Federal Capital Minister Nyesom Wike, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), former Governor Ayo Fayose, Austin Nwachukwu, and several others.
Saturday PUNCH said that the action was “quickly ratified by an overwhelming majority of delegates,” which shows the party’s “commitment to restoring unity, discipline, and focus ahead of the 2027 general elections.”
The official statement from @OfficialPDPNig on its social media accounts said, “In a landmark move to restore unity, discipline, and focus ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at its ongoing 2025 National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, has expelled high-profile members Nyesom Wike, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), former Governor Ayo Fayose, Austin Nwachukwu, and several others.”
The statement went on to say, “The decision, which was quickly approved by a large majority of delegates, shows the party’s dedication to getting rid of the internal divisions and anti-party behavior that have been holding it back.”
More reports showed that Chief Olabode George, the leader of the party and a former national vice-chairman of the party (south), made the resolution to kick someone out, and Samaila Buga, the chairman of the PDP in Bauchi, seconded it.
Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi and head of the PDP Governors’ Forum, called for a voice vote.
Wike’s assistant responds
The ejected members have not spoken anything official about the situation.
Late at night, Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Wike, made a sly comment about his boss’s firing.
He called the ongoing PDP conference a social gathering on his official X account.
He said, “They went to Ibadan to start dirty December in November.” People can’t help but overlook what other people say when they opt to start their own nasty December in November.
“They got together in Ibadan for a social party, had fun, and got drunk. They can say whatever they want.”
Wike, Fayose, and Anyanwu’s recent stories about the PDP
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory said in June 2025 that he never played politics against the party, even if he backed President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general elections.
Later, in September, PDP said through its Deputy National Legal Adviser, Mr. Okechukwu Osuoha, that Wike could not be punished for allegedly doing things that were against the party unless a formal petition with proof is filed.
Fayose claimed on Tuesday that the PDP is “in a state of comatose,” and he insisted that the opposition party is going through an internal crisis that may be too big to fix.
He said this while being a guest on the Channels Television show Politics Today.
The former governor of Ekiti State cleared Tinubu of any wrongdoing in the growing problems inside the PDP in October, saying that the party’s problems are all their own fault.
He had already said that the PDP was “dead” and that he wouldn’t help bring it back to life. He also warned that other members of the opposition party will leave soon.
The PDP crisis persisted after the 2023 general election in November 2024. A group within the PDP NWC suspended the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, for being disloyal to the party.
Earlier, a group inside the NWC that supported Damagum said that the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, and the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, had been suspended for being disloyal to the party.
The PDP NWC suspended Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), the National Legal Adviser; Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the National Secretary; Okechukwu Osuoha, the Deputy Legal Adviser; and Umaru Bature, the National Organising Secretary, for one month on November 1, 2025, after a court ruling stopped the party’s 2025 national convention.
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