Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, has issued a stern warning to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC. The warning was made at the 2026 convention of the PDP, a faction led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and backed by Wike. The convention was held on Sunday.
Wike has vowed to reclaim what he described as the stolen mandate from the defectors. He stated that loyal party members would work to take back the mandate, urging party members across states to return their support to the PDP. The affected governors include Sheriff Oborevwori, Umo Eno, Peter Mbah, Douye Diri, Agbu Kefas, Caleb Muftwang, Dauda Lawal, Siminalayi Fubara, Umaru Fintiri, and Ademola Adeleke, who defected to the APC. Only two governors, Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde, remain in the opposition party.
The convention was an opportunity for the PDP to reassert its strength at subnational levels. Wike's warning signals a renewed push by the party to reclaim its lost ground.
Nyesom Wike's threat to reclaim the mandate from PDP defectors is a clear indication that the party will not go down without a fight. The affected governors, including Sheriff Oborevwori, Umo Eno, and Peter Mbah, will have to answer to their constituents for abandoning the PDP. This move by Wike will likely have a ripple effect on the subnational levels, where the PDP is trying to reassert its strength. The fact that only two governors remain in the opposition party is a testament to the party's dwindling influence. Wike's warning is a call to action for loyal party members to take back what they feel was stolen from them.
