The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held its national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15-16, 2025, an event marked by significant internal wrangling, legal battles, and profound implications for the party's future. The convention, originally slated to commence at 10 am, experienced accreditation delays, with only 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) fully accredited by 1:35 pm. These delays were reportedly orchestrated to accommodate last-minute arrivals from distant states. The core proceedings eventually began around 3:45 pm at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, which was densely packed with delegates and supporters. They were clad in the party’s distinctive green, white, and red attire, actively chanting solidarity songs and showcasing campaign placards for their preferred candidates.

Amidst the fanfare, a dramatic and controversial decision unfolded during the Saturday proceedings: the expulsion of high-profile members. These included Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory; Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State; and Samuel Anyanwu, the party’s former National Secretary. This pivotal motion was introduced by Chief Olabode George, former National Vice Chairman (South), and was swiftly seconded by Samaila Buga, the Chairman of the PDP in Bauchi State.

The convention’s very occurrence defied numerous court injunctions aimed at preventing it, underscoring a deep-seated crisis within the party concerning judicial authority and internal discipline. The legal wrangling began on October 31, when Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, initially halted the convention, citing the absence of valid congresses and instructing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to monitor the event. However, on November 4, Justice A. L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court issued a counter-order, directing the PDP to proceed with the convention and for INEC to monitor it. This created a jurisdictional dispute, raising questions about the validity of conflicting judicial directives. The legal challenges intensified when, just a week later on November 11, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja once again stopped the convention. This ruling stemmed from a suit filed by former Jigawa governor, Sule Lamido, who had been excluded from purchasing a nomination form for the party’s national chairman position. Justice Lifu issued a final order halting the exercise on November 14, merely hours before the convention was scheduled, demanding that Mr. Lamido be accommodated.

Despite this flurry of conflicting rulings, the party's leadership, under National Chairman Umar Damagum, remained steadfast in its decision to proceed. Governor Umar Fintiri of Adamawa State, who also served as Chairman of the National Convention Committee (NCOC), unequivocally affirmed this commitment after a crucial stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, declaring, “We are going to Ibadan for our convention and the convention is sacrosanct.” Consequently, preparations were intensified, with delegates from across the country arriving in Ibadan.

The roots of this profound crisis can be traced back to the 101st and 102nd NEC meetings held in July and August, respectively. During these meetings, Mr. Damagum was confirmed as the substantive national chairman, and the party made key decisions, including zoning its 2027 presidential ticket to the South and retaining the chairmanship in the North. Although Nyesom Wike initially endorsed the zoning decision, aligning with the demands of his G-5 group during the 2023 elections, tensions quickly resurfaced. The core disagreement centered on the requirement for conducting state congresses prior to the national convention, a mandate enshrined in the PDP Constitution. Wike’s loyalists, prominently including Austine Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Amah Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman), and Turnah George (secretary of the PDP South-South zone), championed this constitutional interpretation, which ultimately led to the initial court injunction on October 31.

This internal rift escalated into a broader struggle for power, legal authority, and party legitimacy. The faction aligned with Nyesom Wike, under the leadership of the embattled National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, appointed Mohammed Abdulrahman as its acting national chairman. This group contended that the party had contravened its constitution by failing to conduct valid congresses. In retaliation, the National Working Committee (NWC) suspended Mr. Anyanwu, National Legal Adviser Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), Deputy Legal Adviser Okechukwu Osuoha, and National Organising Secretary Umaru Bature, citing alleged anti-party activities. The Wike-Anyanwu group responded by announcing the suspension of Mr. Damagum and five other officials, referencing a Supreme Court judgment that grants political parties authority to resolve internal disputes without court interference. The two factions then publicly disseminated conflicting newspaper advertisements: one declaring the convention’s cancellation based on court orders, and the other asserting that it would proceed as planned.

Nyesom Wike's sustained influence within the PDP, despite his ministerial role in the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, has been a significant source of contention and resentment. Critics have widely accused him of engaging in anti-party activities. His loyalists have employed various tactics, including political maneuvers and securing court injunctions, to obstruct the convention. They even contemplated holding a parallel National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting to legitimize decisions favorable to their faction.

The PDP constitution delineates specific provisions for convening the national convention and resolving disputes. Section 29(2)(a) empowers the NEC to convene the national convention, mandating adequate notice to members and the election of delegates. Section 49(1) stipulates that conventions and congresses at all levels shall elect party officers, while Section 50(1) grants the NEC final authority to resolve disputes related to candidate selection, implying that disagreements over convention arrangements must first be resolved internally before resorting to legal action. Justice Omotosho, in his initial ruling on the interim injunction sought by Wike’s allies, also emphasized the party’s obligation to exhaust internal mechanisms before engaging in litigation. While the Wike faction’s concerns regarding invalid congresses hold constitutional merit, their decision to bypass internal mechanisms and seek judicial intervention further exacerbated the party’s crisis.

Several key power players significantly shaped the narrative of the convention. Nyesom Wike, despite his prominent role in an APC-led administration, remained a formidable force within the PDP. He vociferously accused the Damagum-led NWC of violating party principles and attempting to conduct an illegitimate convention, viewing the struggle as a bid to control the party’s structure ahead of the 2027 elections. Conversely, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State emerged as a leading figure in the pro-convention camp. As the host of the event in Ibadan, he publicly urged the PDP to move forward and resist being held hostage by vested interests. His crucial role was underscored by a vote of confidence passed in the Damagum-led NWC by state party chairmen who had met with him. Makinde also introduced a significant motion at the convention to dissolve all party structures at the ward, local government, and state levels in Imo, Abia, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers states. This motion, which was seconded by National Auditor Daniel Okechukwu, aimed to validate executives elected through congresses conducted between 2024 and 2025, which were generally deemed compliant with party rules and the Electoral Act 2022.

However, not all state chapters were in alignment. Members of the Rivers PDP explicitly distanced themselves from the convention. Their stance was articulated in a statement citing a profound leadership dispute at the national level that had fragmented state chapters, a series of ongoing lawsuits and counter-litigations, and a significant breakdown in communication with their leader, Governor Siminalayi Fubara. They also alleged that their names and photographs appeared in the convention brochure without their consultation or explicit approval, leading them to unanimously resolve not to participate and to reaffirm their unwavering loyalty to Governor Fubara.

The stakes for the PDP in this convention could not be higher. Once Nigeria’s dominant ruling party between 1999 and 2015, it now faces an existential struggle for survival and relevance. The party risks further fragmentation precisely when unity is paramount to mount a credible challenge against the APC in the 2027 elections. This deepening crisis has already led to defections, with the potential for more, particularly among first-term governors and lawmakers hesitant to remain within a destabilized party. Influential opposition figures, such as former Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, and Abdul Ningi of Bauchi, might even consider alternative political platforms like the ADC if the PDP fails to resolve its internal conflicts before the current NWC tenure expires in December.

Several possible scenarios were envisioned for the party's future trajectory. One scenario involved **Reconciliation and a Caretaker Arrangement**, where party elders and the Board of Trustees (BoT) might advocate for suspending the convention and installing a neutral caretaker committee. Former Senate President Bukola Saraki, who leads the PDP reconciliation committee, proposed this option, arguing that the conflicting court orders undermined the convention's credibility and outcomes. While there is a historical precedent for such an arrangement (e.g., replacing Ali-Modu Sheriff with Ahmed Makarfi in 2016), analysts predicted further disagreements over the committee’s composition and a potential strengthening of Wike's loyalists, potentially destabilizing the party to the advantage of the APC in the 2027 polls, especially given Wike’s public pledge of support for President Bola Tinubu. A second scenario was **Proceeding with the Controversial Convention**. In this case, the Damagum-led faction, by holding the convention despite injunctions, risked future nullification by the courts. Such a ruling could invalidate the elected executives and even a future presidential candidate, thus exacerbating the party’s already precarious crisis.

Ultimately, Chief Niyi Aborisade, a PDP chieftain and governorship aspirant, issued a strong call for party leaders, delegates, and stakeholders to exercise restraint, discipline, and a renewed commitment to unity. He emphasized that the convention was not merely a routine political event but a