The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Thursday as rival factions led by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, locked horns over the legality and conduct of the party’s scheduled national convention in late March.
The Wike-aligned Peoples Democratic Party National Caretaker Committee, headed by Acting National Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, has reaffirmed that the national convention slated for March 29–30, 2026 in Abuja will proceed as planned despite ongoing legal challenges. The committee confirmed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been formally notified of the convention.
In an exclusive interview with The Sources, PDP National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed and committee member Okechukwu Osuoha said party structures across the country were being mobilised for a “fully inclusive convention” aligned with the party constitution and the Electoral Act. “Our party is determined to elect a new set of leaders who will pilot the affairs of the party. We are not distracted by the ongoing litigation,” Mr. Mohammed said.
Divergent Claims from Makinde-Led Camp
Contrastingly, the Makinde-backed faction, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Tanimu Turaki (SAN), has rejected the Wike-aligned group’s authority to organise the convention, describing it as illegitimate. The faction’s spokesman, Ini Ememobong, criticised the planned exercise as “an exercise in futility,” adding that Mr. Wike’s bloc “lacks the capacity and locus” to conduct party business, asserting that those involved “have been expelled from the PDP.”
Legal Backdrop and Heightened Tensions
The political feud dates back to January 30, when a Federal High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, annulled the party’s November 15, 2025 national convention in the city and restrained Mr. Turaki and others from acting as PDP national officers. Prior to that ruling, a cohort of PDP governors — including Governor Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed — had endorsed the Ibadan convention outcome, which elected Turaki and his National Working Committee for a four-year term.
In response to the annulment, the Wike-allied faction constituted a 13-member caretaker committee in December 2025, with a 60-day mandate to lead the party, a development that has fuelled factionalisation. Efforts to reconcile the factions at Wadata Plaza in November 2025 reportedly ended in chaos and physical clashes, prompting the police to seal the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, where it remains closed.
The dispute is currently before the Court of Appeal, with both camps seeking recognition from INEC. However, the electoral body has so far declined to officially recognise either faction, compounding uncertainties as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections.
Outlook Ahead of Convention
Despite the legal uncertainty, the Wike-aligned leadership insists the March 29–30 convention will go ahead, emphasising that preparations are underway nationwide and that eligible party members remain committed to the process. “It is going to be an all-inclusive exercise,” Mr. Osuoha stated, underscoring the party’s organisational reach across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
