Factional rifts deepen in the Peoples Democratic Party as court orders clash and governors take opposing stances ahead of 2027 elections.
Our Reporter | Ibadan
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is grappling with an unprecedented internal crisis after a national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, over the weekend resulted in the expulsion of high-profile party leaders, including the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, and former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose.
The expulsions, orchestrated during the convention, have been firmly rejected by the Wike-led faction of the party, which described the event as illegal and in direct violation of Federal High Court orders. Four state chapters—Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa, and others—have also denounced the convention, signalling a wider revolt against Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s perceived consolidation of control over the party.
Over 3,000 delegates attended the Ibadan convention, convened to elect new national officers despite conflicting judicial directives. The Federal High Court in Abuja, under Justice Peter Lifu, had ordered the PDP to suspend the convention, ruling that former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido was unjustly denied the opportunity to contest for the position of National Chairman. Justice Lifu directed that Lamido be allowed to obtain a nomination form and campaign before any convention proceeds.
Contrastingly, the Oyo State High Court, led by Justice Ladiran Akintola, cleared the party to hold the convention, with instructions for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to monitor the proceedings. The conflicting rulings have effectively split the party into rival factions.
During the convention, the PDP expelled Wike, Fayose, ex-National Vice Chairman Dan Orbih, and others. In response, Abdulrahman Mohammed, acting as the Wike faction’s National Chairman, dismissed the expulsions as “laughable” and vowed to continue in office, stressing that “no convention was held in Ibadan” under a valid court order.
Other Wike loyalists, including Umar Bature, former National Organising Secretary, and Timothy Osadolor, Deputy National Youth Leader, echoed similar sentiments, criticising the Ibadan event as illegal and unauthorised. Osadolor called on Governor Makinde and his allies to apologise to party members and work towards national reconciliation ahead of the 2027 elections.
Despite the internal dissent, the PDP Southwest zonal leadership praised Governor Makinde for “rescuing the party from aggressors” and lauded the newly elected national officers, including Kabiru Turaki, who was elected National Chairman. The convention reportedly saw participation from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, according to former Board of Trustees Chairman Bode George, who dismissed claims of limited state representation.
However, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Jigawa state chapters have all rejected the Ibadan convention’s outcomes, praising INEC for boycotting the event and upholding judicial authority. They argue that the actions taken at the convention are “null and void” and warned that continuing the internal crisis threatens both the PDP’s unity and Nigeria’s democratic stability.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has seized on the PDP’s turmoil, with Deputy National Organising Secretary Nze Chidi Duru describing the opposition’s situation as “confusing” and symptomatic of persistent leadership failures. The APC, however, insisted it would not intervene directly but expressed willingness to advise on party management if requested.
Political analysts warn that the PDP’s ongoing fragmentation, compounded by legal disputes and factional bickering, risks undermining the party’s ability to function as a credible opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Founded in 1998, the PDP has historically been one of Nigeria’s dominant political parties, known for its national reach and ability to reconcile diverse political interests. Its current crisis marks one of the most severe internal schisms since its inception, raising questions about the party’s future cohesion and the stability of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.