By Adesakin Adefemi
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has formally declared Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as the national leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The declaration came on Sunday during the PDP national convention at Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja.
Leading the Ekiti State delegation, Fayose confirmed that the state’s 88 delegates were fully represented and urged party members to respect court rulings on PDP affairs. He hailed Wike as a key figure whose leadership within the party was earned through his significant contributions.
“Today, we are having our convention ably led by the national leader of our party, Nyesom Wike, and we made him so because of his contributions. He leads, and we follow,” Fayose stated.
The convention, attended by officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saw the re-election of Abdulrahman Mohammed as PDP chairman and Sam Anyanwu as secretary. The event, however, was not without tension, as rival factions jostled for influence within the party.
Fayose’s endorsement of Wike is seen as a major boost, given his influence in the PDP. Wike has been instrumental in restructuring the party and stabilizing its operations amid months of internal disputes.
With INEC’s recognition of the Wike-backed faction and the official listing of the updated leadership on its website, analysts say the PDP is now poised to regroup and strengthen ahead of the 2027 general elections.
All eyes are now on the party’s ability to unite and mount a credible challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
