Follow Us on Google
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party has shifted to the states with the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) and loyalists of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on the aegis of National Caretaker Committee, locked in a tussle for the control of states and zonal chapters of the major opposition party.
Daily Sun gathered that there are no fewer than 20 states chapters and three zones, where the PDP leaders are currently divided, leading parallel party structures, as the feuding groups, continue to flex muscles in a bid to assert their dominance in the affairs of the opposition party, ahead of the 2027 general election.
In the aftermath of the PDP National Convention, in Ibadan, the Turaki led NWC constituted caretaker committees for the Rivers, Enugu, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross Rivers, Zamfara of the opposition party, pending the conduct of congresses.
On the flipside, the caretaker committee, which enjoys Wike’s support, recently announced the dissolution of SWCs in 14 states, including Borno, Bauchi, Oyo, Zamfara, Yobe, Ekiti, Bayelsa, Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Delta, Taraba, Kano and Lagos and scheduled fresh congresses in the affected states for January 9, 2026. Already, the faction has announced caretaker committees for Ebonyi, Oyo and Lagos states chapters.
Nonetheless, Ini Ememobong, PDP National Publicity Secretary, told Daily Sun that the generality of members of the opposition party are in support of the Turaki led NWC, noting that whatever any other group is doing is inconsequential. He explained that the NWC has concluded plans to hold congresses in states, where they are presently no substantive executives, stating that the party is not bothered by whatever thing any other group is planning.
“They (Wike’s men) know what they are doing. When you lack power to do a thing, what you are doing is inconsequential. They lack the power to do what they are doing. They are enjoying themselves. I am sure that they are just preparing their structures in various places so that they can justify to the President that they are holding what they think they are holding for him. We are not bothered about that. All members of the PDP, true members of the PDP, who want the PDP to survive, who are preparing for elections are responding to the Turaki led administration.”
Other News
However, a member of the caretaker committee, Okechukwu Osuoha, told Daily Sun that they have already written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the conduct of the congresses in the 14 states. Okechukwu, who insisted that the caretaker committee is the authentic leadership of the PDP, stated that “one of the mandates given to the National Caretaker Committee is to conduct congresses in the 14 states where congresses have not been held. That was one the cases formulated in court. The court told them that they have not done those congresses.
“We have sent notice to INEC to conduct those congresses, in all those states where congresses have not taken place. After that we will do authentic and convention to produce national officers. That is what I will tell you. Whatever any other person is claiming is illegal.”
The crisis in the PDP escalates recently after the opposition party’s National Convention, in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where it elected a new NWC headed by Turaki, and announced the expulsion of Wike, former Ekiti state governor, Ayo Fayose, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Kamaldeen Ajibade, Umar Bature amongst other, as well as the dissolution of the State Working Committees (SWCs) in six states.
In a retaliatory move, the Wike camp, which had dismissed the convention as a jamboree, also announced the expulsion of Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed, Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde, Zamfara governor, Lawal Dauda, Umar Damagum, Adolphis Wabara, Chief Olabode George amongst, and constituted well a 13 National Caretaker Committee headed by Abdulraham Mohammed to run the affairs of the opposition party for 60 days.
Prior to the Ibadan convention, the PDP has been embroiled in cris following a tussle between the PDP Governors, led by the Bauch governor and Makinde, on the one hand and the FCT Minister, on the other hand, over the control of party machinery ahead of the 2027 polls.
The crisis, which started shortly after the last general election has whittled the influence of major opposition, leading to the defection of some governors and National Assembly members, elected on its platform, as well as other leaders of the PDP.
