A Deepening Crisis in the PDP
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is facing a significant internal crisis as factions within the party clash over leadership and decision-making. This conflict has escalated with the dissolution of the Board of Trustees (BoT), which was led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, by a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
This faction, led by its chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, announced the dissolution of the PDP BoT on Friday and named Mao Ohuabunwa, a former senator from Abia State, as the new chairman. However, this move has been met with criticism from within the party, particularly from Bode George, a former Deputy National Chairman of the PDP. George argued that the faction lacked the authority to make such a decision, highlighting the deepening rift within the party.
The Escalation of Internal Conflict
The turmoil began with the suspension of key members of the National Working Committee (NWC), including the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade. These suspensions were carried out by the party’s leadership, citing alleged anti-party activities. In response, the suspended members, who are believed to be loyal to Wike, countered by suspending the Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, and other committee members.
They then declared Mohammed as the new acting National Chairman. On Monday, the crisis deepened further when Mohammed, accompanied by police operatives, took control of the PDP national secretariat in Abuja, declaring himself the authentic acting chairman and urging members to “join hands to rebuild the party.” Since then, both factions have laid claim to the party’s leadership.
The Struggle for Control
While Damagum’s camp insists it is preparing for the party’s national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, relying on an order by Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, the Wike faction has appealed the ruling, maintaining that the convention stands suspended.
At a meeting held at Wike’s residence in Abuja on Friday, Mohammed formally announced the dissolution of the Wabara-led BoT, accusing it of losing focus and moral credibility. He stated that the dissolution marked a significant turning point in the life of the PDP, emphasizing the need to renew the party’s ideals of justice, fairness, inclusivity, and respect for the rule of law.
Mohammed accused Wabara’s BoT of failing to provide the moral guidance expected of it, saying its leadership had become “divided and ineffective.” He also pointed to Wabara’s recent suspension by the Abia State chapter of the party for alleged anti-party activities as a reason for his continued leadership being “untenable.”
The Role of the Courts
Mohammed commended Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for suspending the proposed Ibadan convention, stating that the judgment was a reminder that no institution is above the law. He emphasized that the ruling was not an attack on the PDP but a wake-up call to return to its roots, restore order, and reawaken the values that once made the PDP the pride of Africa.
The factional leader blamed the party’s lingering troubles on the abandonment of its zoning principle, arguing that internal decay began when the PDP jettisoned the arrangement before the 2015 elections. He lamented that the consequences of those decisions still haunt the party today.
Reactions and Responses
As of Friday evening, neither the Wabara camp nor the Damagum-led leadership had officially responded to the dissolution, but George questioned the source of Mohammed’s power to dissolve the Wabara-led group. Speaking exclusively with Saturday PUNCH, George stated that Damagum’s emergence as PDP chairman was at the behest of the NWC and the highest decision-making organ of the party, the National Executive Committee.
He described Mohammed as a clown, asking, “Who is this man dancing naked in the market?” George argued that the faction’s actions aim to disrupt the party and make the All Progressives Congress the only party in Nigeria, which he warned would be very dangerous for the nation.
George said the convention would go on as planned, adding that the party has a structure that cannot be taken down by anybody.
New Leadership and Commitment to Unity
Shortly after its inauguration, the Ohuabunwa-led BoT met and deliberated on several issues bordering on the state of affairs of the PDP. At the end of the meeting, the Board reaffirmed that the PDP “remains one indivisible, united, and democratic family firmly committed to the ideals of justice, equity, and progress.”
It also recognized the authority of all legally constituted organs of the party and reiterated its confidence in the ongoing efforts to restore internal order, discipline, and constitutional adherence in line with the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on October 31, 2025.
The Ohuabunwa-led BoT backed the ruling of Justice Omotosho, stating that no process or organ of the party should act in contempt of court or outside constitutional provisions. The Board noted that the immediate past BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and Secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, having publicly taken positions in the ongoing intra-party crisis, can no longer continue to serve in their previous capacities.
Accordingly, the Board unanimously approved the election of Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, who also hails from the South, and Isah Dansidi from the North, as the Chairman and Secretary of the newly constituted Board of Trustees, respectively.