The crisis rocking Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), intensified on Tuesday as the factional National Executive Committee (NEC) loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, announced the expulsion of several high-profile party figures.
Those affected include serving Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State. Also expelled were former Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara; former National Vice Chairman, Chief Olabode George; and the recently elected National Chairman, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
The sweeping decision followed days of escalating tensions triggered by last Saturday’s controversial PDP national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, where Wike and his loyalists were themselves expelled from the party by a rival faction. The latest move underscores a widening schism within the PDP, with both camps now engaged in open confrontation over control of the party’s structure and leadership.
PDP Parallel Meetings, Parallel Mandates: Battle for Wadata Plaza
The internal rift came to a dramatic head on Tuesday at the PDP national secretariat, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja. Both factions had scheduled parallel NEC and Board of Trustees meetings at the same venue, leading to heightened tension and a visible contest over the soul of the party.
The Wike-aligned faction, led by Acting National Chairman Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed and National Secretary Senator Sam Anyanwu, proceeded with its own NEC session inside the secretariat. At the end of the meeting, the faction announced not only the ratification of the expulsions but also a sweeping restructuring of key state party organs.
According to the communiqué read by Senator Anyanwu, the factional NEC dissolved the state executive councils in Oyo, Bauchi, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos, and Ekiti States. It further directed the immediate constitution of caretaker committees in those states and the conduct of fresh congresses to reposition what it described as “authentic party structures” loyal to the constitution and decisions of the NEC.
The rival camp, aligned with Kabiru Turaki and other national leaders earlier recognized by different organs of the party, has rejected the legitimacy of the Wike-backed NEC, insisting that the actions taken on Tuesday amount to an assault on due process and a continuation of what they describe as a “hostile takeover” of the party’s national machinery.
Allegations of Anti-Party Activities and Disrepute
In its communiqué, the Wike-led NEC faction anchored its decisions on alleged violations of the PDP Constitution. The report presented by Acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed cited breaches of Articles 58(1) and 59(1), including accusations of anti-party activities, disobedience to court orders, and conduct capable of bringing the party into disrepute.
The NEC, relying on this report, approved the commencement of disciplinary procedures against a long list of senior party figures: Adolphus Wabara, Olabode George, Ben N. Obi, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, Bala Mohammed, Oluseyi Makinde, Dauda Lawal, Taofiq Arapaja, Setonji Koshoedo, Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, Woyengikuro Daniel, Mohammed Kadade Suleiman, Emmanuel Ogidi, Sumaila Adamu Burga, Umar Sani, Udom Emmanuel, and Emmanuel Enorden.
While the faction insists that it is acting to restore discipline and order within the PDP, critics within the party contend that the expulsions and disciplinary moves are politically motivated and aimed at silencing dissenting voices opposed to Wike’s growing influence. They argue that the use of “anti-party” labels has become a tool in intra-party warfare rather than a genuine mechanism to enforce internal democracy.
As both factions continue to claim legitimacy, the PDP faces an uncertain future. With serving governors, veteran chieftains, and former national officers now caught in a web of suspensions and expulsions, the party’s cohesion ahead of future electoral contests has been called into question. The outcome of ongoing legal, political, and procedural battles is expected to determine which faction ultimately controls the party’s name, structures, and ballot presence nationwide.
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