Following the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, last weekend, indications suggest that the battle for control of the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections is set to shift to the states.

Loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, are reportedly planning a counter-offensive in response to moves by the party’s new leadership. The Ibadan convention, presided over by immediate past national chairman Umar Damagum, announced the expulsion of Wike, former Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose, national secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Dan Orbih, and others. The State Working Committees (SWCs) in Abia, Imo, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states were also dissolved.

The convention was attended by governors Bala Mohammed, Seyi Makinde, Ahmadu Fintiri, Dauda Lawal, and Caleb Mutfwang of Bauchi, Oyo, Adamawa, Zamfara, and Plateau states, respectively. However, Fintiri and Mutfwang distanced themselves from the expulsions.

The expulsion of Wike and his loyalists represents the climax of a struggle for supremacy between him and the PDP Governors Forum, led by Bauchi Governor Bala Mohammed and Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde, which has polarised different organs of the party.

Sources close to the Wike camp told Daily Sun that party loyalists would meet in Abuja this week to evaluate the situation and strategize a counter-offensive aimed at consolidating influence ahead of the next general election.

Senator Samuel Anyanwu dismissed the Ibadan event as more of a “jamboree” than a legitimate convention. Speaking to Daily Sun, he insisted that the party had not held a convention recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had not been notified of the meeting.

“Out of 36 states, including the FCT, only 17 states showed up. Can you call that a convention? Makinde just built a motor garage, so he invited people to come and open the garage. That is all,” he said. Anyanwu reaffirmed his position as the national secretary of the party and said he would communicate formally with INEC at the appropriate time.

While awaiting the Court of Appeal’s verdict on a Federal High Court injunction that put the national convention on hold, the conflict is shifting to the states, with efforts to control more state chapters. Following the dissolution of SWCs in Imo, Abia, Cross River, and Akwa Ibom, the new National Working Committee (NWC) plans to establish caretaker committees in the affected states. Meanwhile, sacked executives have vowed to maintain their positions, creating the prospect of parallel party structures. Edo and Bayelsa state chapters already have competing leaderships, as do the South South and South East Zonal Working Committees.

Chieftain of the PDP and former presidential aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has called for immediate reconciliation. In a statement, he warned that Nigeria’s democracy could be at risk if the party remained in crisis. He urged leaders to prioritise unity, inclusion, and dialogue, saying, “The current path of fragmentation, court-induced confusion, and exclusionary politics is a dangerous departure from the party’s foundational ideals. Inclusion, not exclusion, is the tradition of the PDP.”

George Turnah, a former South-South Zonal Secretary and caretaker chairman of Bayelsa State PDP, dismissed claims of his expulsion as “laughable” and baseless. In a statement, he described the Ibadan event as a social gathering rather than a legitimate convention and reaffirmed his loyalty to Wike and the national leadership. He emphasised that the PDP constitution requires due process and a fair hearing for disciplinary actions, which were not observed in Ibadan.

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