PDP crisis: New PDP leaders emerge Sunday, as Wike’s faction holds convention

…Turaki faction heads to Supreme Court

A new National Working Committee NWC of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), is expected to emerge on Sunday in Abuja, as the faction loyal to Nyesom Wike holds its national convention at the Velodrome of the National Stadium, Abuja

The faction has nominated Abdulrahman Mohammed, to emerge as national chairman, Samuel Anyanwu as the party’s national secretary, amongst others

The group loyal to Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has continued to tighten its grip on the party’s structure, ahead of the faction’s National Convention planned for Sunday, March 29.

BusinessDaySunday checks show that the National Stadium Velodrome, Abuja venue of the factional PDP convention has been set as at Friday, with minor touches to beautiful the environment, going on as at the time of this report.

The convention is coming just few hours after that of the ruling All Progressive Congress APC, which held at the Eagle Square Friday and Saturday.

Amongst the several plans, the group has openly declared that it would be backing the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for President in the 2027 general election.

Abdulrahman Mohammed, the group’s national chairman, while speaking on the preparations for the convention, foreclosed the chances of incorporating the Turaki-led group into the Caretaker Committee constituted by them, which was recognised by the Court of Appeal, as the only authentic body to manage the party’s affairs.

They also described the Sunday’s convention as non- negotiable, among the several “no-go-areas” as preconditions for reconciling with the Turaki group.

The National Executive Committee (NWC) of the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP, on Friday revealed that it has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the recent judgement by the Abuja Court of Appeal, annulling the party’s November 15 and 16, 2025 convention in Ibadan.

The decision to appeal the judgement was ratified on Friday at the faction’s NWC meeting in Abuja, indicating that the current crisis in the party is far from abating

Recall that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal had while delivering its judgement, in the appeal filed by the Turaki faction, upheld a lower court’s ruling that annulled the November 2025 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.

The court validated the restriction on INEC from recognising the convention’s outcomes, citing non-compliance with the party’s constitution, the 1999 Constitution, and the Electoral Act 2022.

The judgement also invalidated the elections of the Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC), imposing a fine of N2 million on the group for disobeying the lower court order which had restrained the party from going ahead with the Ibadan convention

Turaki, speaking at the party’s 103rd National Executive Committee meeting on Friday, said the NEC ratified decisions of the various organs of the party, including the filing of an appeal against the judgement at the Supreme Court.

He disclosed that the group had postponed its meeting to enable in-depth consultations to look at some of the developments microscopically, so that by the time we now sit as we are sitting today, we’ll be in a better position to inform you of all the developments both within the Court and outside, the Court.

He expressed confidence that the party would be able to present candidates for elective positions, adding that “for us in PDP, all hope is not lost. It’s also important for me to inform us that every conceivable effort is being made by the leadership to ensure that PDP is on the ballot in all the elections in 2027.

“It’s also my pleasure to inform us also that the leadership is assiduously working around the clock to ensure that PDP remains a veritable platform for all our members wishing to contest for elections, both in the 2027 and beyond.”