By Ireti Asemota
The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike has rejected the expulsion of several prominent party leaders announced at Saturday’s national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
In a major escalation of the PDP crisis, four state chapters have also dismissed the outcome of the convention—an action that political observers describe as a direct challenge to Governor Seyi Makinde’s growing influence within the party.
Despite conflicting court rulings, more than 3,000 delegates convened in Ibadan to elect new national officers for the opposition party. This came just a day after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the PDP to halt the convention and barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring it.
Justice Lifu, issuing the consequential order, ruled that the event must be suspended to allow former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido to obtain nomination forms, mobilise his supporters, and campaign for the national chairmanship.
The judge emphasised that the plaintiff must be provided the opportunity to participate fully, noting:
“Before any convention is held, the PDP is to make nomination forms available to the plaintiff… the convention is hereby put on hold.”
This ruling mirrored an earlier judgment delivered on November 11, 2025, also by Justice Lifu, restraining the PDP from holding a convention that would elect new national officers.
Lamido, through his counsel Jephthah Njikonye, SAN, had argued that proceeding with the convention would violate the PDP constitution and deny him a legitimate chance to contest the national chairmanship.
However, the judicial landscape shifted when the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan issued a conflicting order. Justice Ladiran Akintola approved the convention and directed INEC to supervise the election of new party leaders. The order stemmed from an ex parte application by Oyo PDP member Folahan Adelabi.
The contradictory judgments split the party into two rival blocs—one loyal to Wike and the other backed by PDP governors and national structures.
At the Ibadan convention, after a motion by former Board of Trustees Chairman Chief Bode George, the party expelled Wike, former Ekiti State governor Ayodele Fayose, ex–South-South National Vice Chairman Dan Orbih, and several others.
But the Wike-backed faction dismissed the expulsions. One of those removed, Abdulrahman Mohammed, described the action as “laughable” and insisted he remains the Acting National Chairman. Mohammed was appointed to the position after the Wike faction suspended the former National Chairman Umar Damagum and the entire National Working Committee.
