The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its national convention in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, last weekend, amidst conflicting court orders with far-reaching decisions, including the expulsion of notable party leaders. Assistant Editor, Politics, YINKA OLADOYINBO, with reports from Soji Ajibola and Busola Oworu, looks at the development and its implications for the main opposition party.
For over two years now, Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been in the eye of the storm, having moved from one crisis to another, a development that started ahead of the conduct of its presidential primary, which produced candidates for the 2023 general election. That was in May 2022. Before the presidential primaries, some governors, under the aegis of G5, had taken up arms against the party and its 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Their grouse was the party’s alleged refusal to zone the presidential ticket to the South.
The G5 controversy led to a huge crack in the wall, leading members of the group to work against Atiku Abubakar at the 2023 elections.
The crisis, however, did not abate even after the 2023 elections were held. Amidst the endless controversy, the party’s presidential candidate in 2023, former vice president Atiku Abubakar, and some leaders of the party defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Despite the high-profile defections, the party was still unable to galvanise itself for survival as it again found itself in a series of crises over the control of its leadership. In October, the party got sharply divided into two major factions, with one being backed by the minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, while another faction is being supported by the vice chairman of the Nigerian Governors ‘ Forum, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, as well as the chairman of the PDP Governor’ Forum and the governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed and others. What started like a storm in a cup of tea with the planned replacement of the national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, with Honourable Sunday Udeh-Okoye, later snowballed into a major issue that laid the foundation for the crisis that preceded the Ibadan national convention.
Eventually, the Supreme Court had to intervene with its ruling, which asserted that matters relating to the control of party positions are internal affairs that should be sorted by the party. Thereafter, Senator Sam Anyanwu, an ally of the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, was allowed to return to the office to continue to function as its secretary. That decision, taken at the level of the PDP Governors’ Forum, however, led to the sharp division that is at the heart of the crisis rocking the party right now. Ahead of the Ibadan convention, Anyanwu broke away from his former ally and national Chairman, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, lending himself to the pro-Wike camp, which objected to the convention. Damagum and other leaders of the party, however, insisted on going ahead with the convention, and thereafter suspended Anyanwu and other officers seen as seeking to derail the convention.
The two parties were initially issuing conflicting directives until the camp led by Anyanwu secured a judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which stopped the Ibadan convention. While the Damagum-led NWC, the Board of Trustees (BoT), and the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDPGF) all agreed that the national convention should be held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on November 15 and 16, the Wike-led faction disagreed, with Anyanwu issuing directives and placing adverts in the newspapers stating that the convention had been postponed. Another arrow against the convention was the quest of the former governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, to contest the position of national chairman. He had headed to another Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking to stop the convention. The court actually obliged him, but the Damagum-led executive, loyal to Governor Makinde and Bala Muhammed, secured a reprieve through the Oyo State High Court, presided over by Justice Ladiran Akintola, who gave an order clearing the way for the convention.
While delivering his ruling on the Wike faction’s suit on October 31, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, stopped the PDP from going ahead with the convention, saying evidence before the court showed that the party failed to hold valid state congresses before the planned national convention. However, the Ibadan High Court presided over by Justice Akintola gave the party the nod to go ahead with the convention. Justice Akintola ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to attend and monitor the elective national conventionwhich was to produce a new set of national officers for the party.
Ruling in the ex-parte motion, Akintola restrained the defendants in the suit, marked: I / 1336/2025, from acting in any manner whatsoever that would truncate or frustrate “the Guidelines, Timetable and Schedule of Activity and/or disrupting, preventing and or stopping the conduct of the Scheduled National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) fixed for November 15 and 16, 2025 at Ibadan to elect officers of the said party at national, pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice.”
The judge issued the interim injunction against the defendants, which included PDP, its National Chairman (for himself and the members of the National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party), Rt. Hon. Umaru Ahmadu Fintiri (for himself and members of the PDP National Convention Organising Committee), and INEC as first to fourth defendant, respectively.
On the eve of the convention, two conflicting rulings from the courts were being paraded by the contenders in the party. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, while in the Sule Lamido case, declared that the PDP must not proceed with the convention unless it allows Lamido to contest. The judge also said that the PDP did not comply with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act, while it also failed to publish the convention guidelines for its members. The judge therefore prohibited INEC from supervising, monitoring, or aiding the convention until Lamido was allowed to participate. That same Friday, November 14, the Ibadan court led by Justice Akintola asked the PDP to proceed with the convention on November 15 and 16. With the conflicting court pronouncements, the party went ahead to organise the convention at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, Ibadan on Saturday, November 16 and Sunday, November 16, 2025.
The Convention Day
Leaders of the party and delegates from across the country started trooping into Ibadan from Thursday, and the atmosphere around the ancient city reflected that a gathering of political bigwigs was about to take place. As early as 8 am on Saturday, party faithful have started converging on the venue with high hopes that the event would be an ample opportunity to reawaken the once strong and virile ruling party in Nigeria.
The stage was set for the proper convention with opening remarks and goodwill messages from leaders of the party. Senator Adolphus Wabara, the chairman Board of Trustees (BoT), in his speech, said that he was fulfilled to see the convention get underway. He said: “Quite frankly, for me if I die today, I will thank God, I want to thank all of you here that have made this a reality, for those of us who believe in this party, this party will not die. This gathering is a testament to our resilience, our democratic spirit, our collective commitment to the ideals of unity, progress, and service of Nigeria.”
The host governor, Seyi Makinde, in his speech, noted that it was a long stretch of battle to get to the point of holding the event. According to him, the convention, with the many battles that were fought by the resilient members of the party before it could hold, would be remembered as a significant one that led to the positive turnaround of the fortunes of the party. He said: “It has been a long stretch of battle to get to this point, but here we are, and by God’s grace, this convention will go down as the convention that brought the turnaround to the Peoples Democratic Party nationally.”
Speaking on behalf of the senate caucus of the party, the senator representing Bauchi Central senatorial district, Sen Abdul Ningi, said the multitude that attended the convention had shown that the PDP is not dead.
He said: “This is a very clear indicator that PDP is not dead, it is important to send a clear message to all and sundry that it is an entrenched party, it is the peoples party and therefore we will continue to do what we want to do, as a political party our vision is beyond 2027, I say with all sense of responsibility that we are not gathered here only because of 2027, we gathered here to make sure that our people around the country have a feel of democracy.
“We have come a long way, for over 25 years we have been holding convention after convention, some political parties in history have never had any convention, we call on all lovers of the PDP all lovers of democracy and for those who feel this country would be a one party state, I say they must perish this thought of making Nigeria a one party state.”
With the speeches made, the real business of the day commenced with a motion by the chairman of the party in Edo State, Tony Aziegbemi, moving the motion for the ratification of Damagum as the substantive national chairman of the party. The motion was seconded by the Kaduna State chairman, Edward Masha, following which it was put to a voice vote and the motion was ratified by the convention.
The outgoing NWC was thereafter dissolved to give way for the election of fresh hands to steer the ship of the party.
Then came a major decision taken at the convention, which was the expulsion of some notable leaders of the party. Those expelled include Wike, Anyanwu, a former governor of Ekiti state, Ayo Fayose, Hon. Abraham Amah, Hon. Umar Bature, Adeyemi Ajibade SAN, Senator Mao Ohabinwa, Senator Samuel Anyawu, George Turner, Chief Dan Orbih, Muhammed Abdulrahman, and Hon Sistine Nwachukwu. Apart from this, the party also dissolved the State Executive Councils of Rivers, Abia, Imo, Plateau, and Enugu States.
A former deputy national chairman of the party, Chief Bode George, moved the motion that led to the decision that many believed was capable of widening the gulf in the party. George, while moving the motion for the expulsion of Wike and ten others, said that the expulsion was in accordance with Section 33 sub subsection 2 of the 2017 Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
The motion was seconded by Pharmacist Samaila Adamu Burga. Makinde moved the motion for the dissolution of the executive of the five states. The convention then ratified the decisions.
The majority of those present at the convention venue and many who were not there saw the decision to expel Wike and others as a right step that would give steam to the party, which many have seen as losing the vibrancy of an opposition party. This was, however, as some others noted that instead of healing the wounds, the expulsion would further polarize the party and escalate the already tense situation within the PDP.
The convention thereafter went ahead to elect new officers who will run its affairs for the next four years. Leading the pack is a former Minister of Special Duties, Taminu Turaki (SAN), who was elected the national chairman, while a former deputy governor of Oyo State and former ambassador to Jordan, Taofeek Arapaja, was elected the national secretary.
Others were Alh Hamza Akuyan Koshe (Deputy National Chairman North), Dr Daniel Ambrose W. (Deputy National Chairman South), Arapaja Taofeek Gbopa-Oladejo (National Secretary), Heroes Richard Nnabugwu (Deputy National Secretary), Isa Abubakar (National Treasure), Okechuwu Obiechina Daniel (National Financial Secretary), Hon. Theophilus Daka Shan (National Organising Sec.), Ini Ememobong Essien (National Publicity Secretary), Aribasala Adewale Idowu (National Auditor), Barau Shaffi (National Legal Adviser), Ogbu Anthonia Chinenyewa (National Women’s Leader) and Solarin Sunday Adekunle (Deputy National Organising Sec.)
Fintiri, Mutfwang’s rejection of expulsion
However, the chairman of the National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC), who is also the governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri, and Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, immediately dissociated themselves from Wike’s expulsion. Reacting through a statement posted on X, Mr Fintiri said the expulsion was not taken in the best interest of the party and, for that reason, he would not associate himself with it, warning that sacking Wike from the PDP would further deepen the party’s current crisis.
He said: “I, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, Governor of Adamawa State, wishes to categorically state that I dissociate myself from the position of expelling the Honourable Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from PDP. I believe that this decision is not in the best interest of the party, and I will not be party to any attempt that could further plunge the PDP into unending crisis.
“As a faithful party member, my position is clear: I stand for the peace and stability of the PDP, and I will not support anything that could lead to its disintegration. I believe that peace and reconciliation are the only ways forward for our great party.”
On his part, Mutfwang said the decision to expel Wike and ten other party leaders was neither discussed at the PDP Governors’ Forum nor at the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting before it was presented and adopted at the national convention. The governor stated this in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere.
It read: “The Executive Governor of Plateau State, His Excellency Barr. Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang has formally distanced himself from the expulsion of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and former Governor of Rivers State, Barr. Nyesom Wike, former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, and Samuel Anyanwu, alongside other leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The governor said that the expulsion was not the best way to address the division within the party, noting, “expelling the party leaders at this crucial time is not a strategic step toward resolving the internal challenges currently confronting the PDP. He reiterated the need for unity, dialogue, and collective effort in rebuilding and repositioning the party.”
Wike’s camp stands on expulsion.
The FCT Minister, in his reaction to his expulsion, said those who acted were intoxicated. He also said what was held in Ibadan was a “dirty December held in November”
Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Communications and social media to the FCT Minister, said in a statement that “they went to Ibadan to start dirty December in November. They gathered in Ibadan to have a social party, enjoyed themselves, and got intoxicated; they are free to say anything.”
In the same vein, the acting national chairman, who is loyal to the Anyanwu-led camp in the party, stated that the decision of expel However, one of the PDP leaders expelled at the convention, Mohammed, who was appointed by the Wike faction as the acting national chairman of the party, described the development as laughable, vowing to carry on with his duties. Mohammed vowed to continue in office, stressing that no convention was held in Ibadan. “What happened in Ibadan was not a convention. It was held in violation of a valid court order. Nigerians should not lose sleep because the PDP remains on course to offer them good governance. It is laughable that people who violated court orders would, in that violation, announce the expulsion of party leaders like us. They had no power to expel us in the first instance. All we can say is that very soon, we will continue in the day-to-day running of our party affairs,” he said.
What next, PDP Implications for the party
Considering the circumstances prevailing at the time the Ibadan convention was called, it was clear that the convention could lead to various outcomes. One of such is the fact that the party may have to remain in the courts for some time to come. A major implication of the Ibadan convention is that the electoral body, INEC, may refuse to accord recognition to the newly constituted NWC. That lack of recognition by INEC could prove fatal for the executive and the party, which is due to submit nominations for governorship elections in elections in Osun and Ekiti States. A vital decision of the Ibadan convention was the dissolution of the Damagum-NWC and the election of the Tanimu Turaki-led executive. While the NWC, initially led by Senator Iyorchia Ayu and later Damagum, was scheduled to complete its tenure on December 9, the national convention in Ibadan had dissolved the executive to pave the way for the immediate inauguration of Alhaji Turaki, thus paving the way for arguments and counter-arguments.
Observers are of the view that the development may further endanger the aspirations of many of the party members who are jostling to contest for one post or the other in 2027. The first casualty of this development may be the Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking his second term ticket on the platform of the party. Though his election is next year, candidates are due to emerge on December 15. There is certainly no hope that the crisis would have been resolved by that date.
On Tuesday in Abuja, the party erupted in a deeper crisis following the decision of the two factions to hold meetings at the Wadata Plaza, the party’s national Secretariat. Tear gas flowed freely as the police attempted to take control of the situation. The unfolding drama is sure to last some time, and no one knows who blinks first.