Two factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are set for a high-stakes showdown at the party’s Wadata, Abuja National Secretariat today. While newly elected National Chairman Alhaji Tanimu Turaki, SAN, has scheduled the inaugural National Working Committee (NWC) meeting, the faction loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has arranged emergency Board of Trustees (BoT) and National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings at the same venue.
Turaki led NWC members to brief the FCT Commissioner of Police, ensuring security for their 10 a.m. meeting. He stressed that those expelled during the recent national convention, including Wike and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, no longer hold authority within the party. “The National Convention’s decision overrides every other organ,” Turaki said, pledging a peaceful exercise while maintaining readiness to defend the party if threatened.
Wike’s faction, however, plans to hold its BoT meeting at 11 a.m. and NEC meeting at 2 p.m., asserting the need to address what it considers unresolved party issues. Former Niger State Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu likened the expulsion of party members to a surgical procedure to remove a cancerous tumor, warning against the creation of a one-party dominance that could undermine Nigeria’s diversity.
Despite the internal tension, Turaki emphasised reconciliation, promising to engage aggrieved members, apologise where necessary, and reposition the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections. He clarified that reconciliation would only be extended to genuine party members, excluding those who actively undermine the party. Analysts note the leadership tussle remains a significant challenge, particularly as some governors distance themselves from the Ibadan convention decisions.