*As Turaki Emerges Unopposed as PDP National Chairman
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The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) held its elective national convention at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan on Saturday, ratifying Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum as the substantive national chairman in a move that drew applause from delegates. The event, supervised by officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), unfolded amid heightened internal divisions, expulsions of key figures, and the dissolution of party structures in five states.
Tony Aziegbemi, chairman of the Edo State PDP chapter and leader of the Forum of State Chairmen, moved the motion to ratify Damagum under Section 32 of the PDP Constitution (as amended). The motion, seconded by Edward Marshal, a prominent party chieftain, was unanimously adopted, signaling broad support and ending months of speculation over the party’s leadership.
A PDP source at the convention told our correspondent that INEC officials closely monitored the proceedings, including the voting process, to ensure full compliance with electoral guidelines. Out of 2,745 accredited delegates, a total of 1,834 valid votes were cast for uncontested positions. Sources confirmed that the presence of INEC added credibility to the exercise, particularly for the ratification and other elections, despite earlier legal challenges.
In a related development, senior lawyer Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, a former Minister of Special Duties, was declared the winner of the national chairmanship contest as the sole contender, securing 1,516 votes. The convention also filled the position of National Deputy Organising Secretary, won by Solarin Adekunle.
The convention escalated the PDP’s ongoing crisis with the expulsion of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike and 10 other high-ranking leaders for alleged anti-party activities. The list includes former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose; National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu; National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade; Austin Nwachukwu; factional chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman; Senator Mao Ohuabunwa; Abraham Amah; George Turner; and Chief Dan Orbih.
The motion for expulsion was moved by Chief Olabode George, former National Vice Chairman (South), and seconded by Samaila Burga, Bauchi PDP Chairman, before adoption by delegates. The PDP cited Articles 10(6) and 58(1)(b), (c), (f), (i), (j), (l), as well as 59(1)(g) of its 2017 Constitution (as amended) to justify the action, emphasizing the National Convention’s supremacy in disciplinary matters.
South-West PDP Chairman Kamorudeen Ajisafe described the expulsions as “long overdue,” stating, “Wike and others were suspended for anti-party activities. They wanted to destroy the party, and we cannot allow that to happen.” Notably, former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido was spared, with Ajisafe noting, “Lamido isn’t in Wike’s category. He is a respected PDP leader… We will resolve issues with him.”
Divisions surfaced prominently, with Governors Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa) and Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau) dissociating from the expulsions. Fintiri, who chaired the National Organising Committee, withdrew mid-event, citing the need for unity and reconciliation. In a statement on his X handle, he warned that the move could “plunge the PDP into an unending crisis” and urged stakeholders to prioritize peace.
Mutfwang echoed this, stating via his media aide Gyang Bere that the proposal was not discussed at the PDP Governors’ Forum or National Executive Committee, calling it “non-strategic” amid the party’s challenges.
Governors Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), and Agbu Kefas (Taraba) boycotted the convention entirely, fueling speculation of potential defections. PDP Deputy National Youth Leader Timothy Osadolor suggested their absence signals frustration with internal sabotage, particularly against Adeleke’s second-term ambitions. All Progressives Congress National Secretary Ajibola Basiru claimed Kefas would join the APC by November 19.
Delegates approved the dissolution of PDP structures at ward, local government, and state levels in Imo, Abia, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers states. Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde moved the motion, seconded by National Auditor Daniel Wokoma Okechukwu, authorizing public notice of the decision.
Makinde affirmed that congresses held nationwide from 2024 to 2025 complied with the Electoral Act 2022 and PDP guidelines, with approvals from the National Executive Committee and Working Committee. However, participation from the affected states was limited, with some executives boycotting due to the dissolutions.
The convention proceeded despite conflicting court rulings. On November 3, the Oyo State High Court permitted the event and directed INEC to monitor it. However, Federal High Court Justice Peter Lifu issued orders on October 31 and November 11 restraining the PDP from holding the convention and barring INEC from recognizing it without including Lamido as a chairmanship contender. Organizers claimed ignorance of the latest order.
Expelled leaders pushed back. Abia PDP Chairman Abraham Amah called the event an “aberration” amid appeals, noting limited delegate participation from his state. South-South PDP Secretary George Turner dismissed it as a “social gathering,” acknowledging INEC’s role but questioning its validity without full compliance. Acting Publicity Secretary Enyinnaya Appolos labeled it “ill-fated” and procedurally defective, urging calm as the matter heads to the Court of Appeal.
Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant to Wike on Public Communications, mocked the proceedings on X as “dirty December in November,” accusing organizers of intoxication and irrelevance.
The Ibadan convention, monitored by INEC, underscores the PDP’s turbulent path toward the 2027 elections. While Damagum’s ratification and structural reforms aim to stabilize leadership, the expulsions and boycotts risk deepening factions loyal to Wike versus Damagum. Delegates from wards, local governments, states, and federal levels overwhelmingly supported the decisions, with sources noting near-unanimous agreement (over 99 percent) on key actions like the expulsions.
As one observer quipped, “Politics is calculation.” Fintiri’s reported mockery of Wike highlights lingering animosities, but party elders stress reconciliation to avoid harming the PDP’s future. The tenure of current leadership remains valid, per constitutional timelines, preventing immediate expulsions of figures like Wike during their terms.
With INEC’s oversight providing a layer of electoral integrity, the PDP now faces the challenge of healing divisions to reclaim opposition relevance. Stakeholders await appellate court outcomes, which could redefine the party’s trajectory.
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