By Frontline Reporters
The internal crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Tuesday as governors within the party rejected the consensus arrangement adopted by a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for the emergence of a national chairman and secretary.
The governors’ camp distanced itself from the process and vowed to challenge the decision legally, insisting that the procedure adopted by the Wike-backed group was flawed and unacceptable.
The development followed the emergence of Samuel Anyanwu as consensus candidate for National Secretary and Abdulrahman Mohammed as National Chairman ahead of the party’s proposed national convention.
Senior party figures aligned with the governors-backed National Working Committee (NWC), led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN), disclosed that they were exploring all available legal options to challenge the move.
Speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to comment publicly, the sources said the governors’ camp remained determined to protect what they described as the constitutional integrity of the party.
PDP factions deepen divide
The PDP has been sharply divided for nearly a year following a leadership tussle between camps loyal to Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State on one side, and the Wike-led bloc on the other.
The governors’ camp held a convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 16, during which Turaki and other officials were elected into the National Working Committee.
However, the Wike faction later constituted a 13-member National Caretaker Committee, appointing Mohammed as Acting National Chairman and Anyanwu as Acting National Secretary to oversee the party pending a substantive convention.
Court ruling worsens dispute
The leadership dispute escalated following a judgment by the Court of Appeal (Nigeria), which nullified the Ibadan convention.
In the ruling delivered on March 9, a panel led by Justice Mohammed Danjuma upheld an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, declaring that the convention breached the Electoral Act, the Nigerian Constitution, and the PDP constitution.
As a result, the election of Turaki and other members of the NWC was invalidated.
Another panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Biobele Georgewill, had earlier encouraged the warring factions to pursue an amicable settlement.
Reconciliation talks collapse
Sources within the governors’ camp said reconciliation efforts between the two factions had collapsed after the Wike group insisted that their members must purchase nomination forms and participate in the planned convention.
According to one insider, the governors’ faction rejected the demand, arguing that the entire convention process was legally questionable.
“We made it clear that we are open to dialogue, but they insisted that our members must buy forms and participate in the convention. From our perspective, the entire process is fundamentally flawed and illegal,” the source said.
The governors’ faction, he added, would carefully review the party constitution, the Electoral Act, and relevant legal frameworks before deciding its next move.
Zonal consensus arrangements
Meanwhile, insiders within the Wike-backed caretaker committee said the party leadership had adopted a zoning arrangement to ensure consensus candidates emerge for key NWC positions.
Under the arrangement, the position of National Chairman was zoned to the North-Central, while the National Secretary slot was allocated to the South-East.
Party leaders across the six geopolitical zones reportedly held meetings to agree on consensus candidates for various national positions ahead of the convention scheduled for March 29–30.
Calls for unity
Amid the deepening crisis, former presidential aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim warned that holding another factional convention could further fracture the party.
He urged both camps to honour earlier agreements aimed at holding a unity convention and cautioned that internal divisions could weaken the party’s chances ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Similarly, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Chibudom Nwuche called on party leaders to prioritise reconciliation and unity.
According to him, the forthcoming national convention should serve as a platform for healing divisions and rebuilding the party’s cohesion as it prepares for future electoral contests.
He said, “There is a time to fight and a time for peace. What the party needs now is unity, trust, and a shared commitment to rebuilding the PDP.”
The PDP national convention is expected to hold in Abuja on March 29, where party leaders hope to resolve the lingering leadership crisis.
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