In a bid to seek an end to months of political gridlock, 2,500 PDP delegates loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike converged on Abuja on Sunday to install a new leadership for the party.
The assembly formally ratified Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Chairman and Secretary, respectively.
With the 2027 elections on the horizon, the faction also approved 17 additional NWC members following a motion by House Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, marking a significant escalation in the battle for the party’s soul.
The Sunday convention formally transitioned the party’s leadership from a temporary caretaker status—which has steered the Wike-aligned faction since the internal disputes of late 2025—into a full four-year mandate.
This consensus-driven arrangement, reportedly brokered by Wike, saw acting leaders Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu confirmed in their substantive roles.
Wike’s influence was central to the process, as he successfully appealed to rival aspirants to step aside in the interest of party stability.
The newly ratified 19-member National Working Committee (NWC) includes:
Deputy National Chairmen: Aaron Chukwuemeka (South) and Yusufu Nya Akirikwen, SAN (North).
Secretariat & Treasury: Kolawale Olabisi (Deputy Secretary), Odeyemei Mackson Oladiran (Treasurer), and Lado Dan Marke (Deputy Treasurer).
Women’s Wing: Professor Ogunshe Adedayo (National Women Leader) and Hauwa Ahmed Shinge (Deputy).
Legal & Strategic Officers: Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, and Barr. Aloysius Chinemelu U. Uba, alongside several others including Umar Mohammed Bature and Dr. Grema Kyari.
Persecondnews reports that the crisis within Nigeria’s main opposition party continues to fester as this latest convention stands in direct opposition to a rival faction loyal to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
In November 2025, the Makinde-led camp held its own convention in Ibadan, naming Kabiru Turaki as National Chairman.
This group has already signaled its intent to escalate the leadership battle to the Supreme Court, casting a long shadow over any hopes for immediate party unity.
Despite the looming legal threats, speakers at the Sunday event focused on a message of reconciliation and reconstruction.
In his inaugural remarks, Abdulrahman Mohammed called on members to “close ranks,” stressing that the PDP must urgently reposition itself as a credible alternative to the ruling party before the next election cycle.
The party’s internal turmoil dates back to its stinging defeat in the 2023 general elections.
Since then, the PDP has been locked in a cycle of instability, characterized by a dizzying series of leadership shuffles, high-profile suspensions, expulsions, and a relentless stream of litigation.
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