A fresh wave of tension has hit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a faction led by Abdulrahman Mohammed has called for an emergency meeting of the party’s national executive committee (NEC) and board of trustees (BoT) scheduled for Tuesday in Abuja.
According to a notice signed by Samuel Anyanwu, a key ally of Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the BoT will meet at 11am at the PDP national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, while the NEC session is set for 2pm at the same venue. The invitation, described as the party’s 103rd emergency NEC meeting, stressed that attendance is compulsory because “crucial matters” will be discussed.
Lere Olayinka, media aide to Wike, posted the notice on his X page on Monday, confirming the latest development in the intensifying internal dispute.
The emergency gathering comes just days after another PDP faction, led by Umar Damagum, the immediate past national chairman, held a national convention in Ibadan over the weekend. That convention sparked controversy after the faction announced the expulsion of Wike, Anyanwu, Ayo Fayose, and several other high-profile figures from the party. Those affected include Umar Bature, Kamaldeen Ajibade, Mao Ohabunwa, Uwachukwu, George Turner, Dan Orbih, Abdulrahman, Austin Nwachukwu and Abraham Amah.
The Ibadan convention attracted several prominent politicians, including Bala Mohammed (Bauchi governor), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa governor), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara governor), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau governor), and Seyi Makinde (Oyo governor).
Ogun 2023 PDP governorship candidate Ladi Adebutu; Kogi Central senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan; former Niger governor Babangida Aliyu; and former minister Kabiru Turaki, who emerged consensus candidate for national chairman, were also present.
Other notable attendees included former Kano governor Ibrahim Shekarau, BoT chairman Adolphus Wabara, and BoT member Bode George.
However, Osun governor Ademola Adeleke and Taraba governor Agbu Kefas were absent, while Mutfwang and Fintiri—who attended the event—distanced themselves from the decision to expel Wike.
Reacting to the convention’s outcome, Olayinka issued a statement on Saturday alleging that those at the Ibadan meeting merely wanted to “start dirty December in November.” He insisted that the decisions in Ibadan were insignificant and should not be taken seriously. “They are free to say anything,” he added.
The Wike-aligned faction had earlier sought legal means to stop the convention, but the opposing faction secured a high court judgment in Oyo allowing the event to go ahead.
As Tuesday’s emergency meetings approach, party members and observers alike will be watching closely, as the struggle for legitimacy within the PDP continues to reshape its internal power blocs.
