The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is heading into one of its most tense moments in recent memory as over 3,000 delegates prepare to converge on Ibadan, Oyo State, for the party’s national elective convention scheduled for November 15–16, 2025.
The party remains deeply divided between two contending camps. The first is led by acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, supported by the PDP Governors Forum, the Board of Trustees (BoT), and the Forum of State Chairmen. The rival faction, associated with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, has asserted influence by electing its own leadership, directly challenging the governors’ authority.
Legal battles have compounded the tension. Last week, Justice James Omotosho issued a ruling restraining the PDP leadership from holding the convention and barring INEC from monitoring it, citing procedural lapses.
In response, Damagum’s faction suspended key officials, including National Secretary Senator Samuel Anyanwu. Anyanwu’s camp retaliated by suspending Damagum and appointing Abdulrahman Mohammed as acting chairman.
Despite these disputes, Damagum’s supporters argue that a recent ex parte order from Justice Ladiran Akintola empowers them to proceed with the convention.
“There are two court orders from courts of concurrent jurisdiction. In law, the party is at liberty to choose which of the orders to obey,” said a party official aligned with Damagum.
Meanwhile, Anyanwu insists the convention will not hold and warns that any attempt to proceed would amount to contempt of court, stressing that INEC would not recognise the process.
Former Kaduna Governor Ahmed Makarfi added that only the NWC can clarify the status of the convention.
Amid the dispute, the Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, accused Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of exacerbating the crisis due to his alleged 2027 presidential ambitions.
He warned that convening the convention without reconciliation could further fracture the party, saying, “Whatever they are going to do in Ibadan would be an early Christmas party, not a PDP national convention.”
Osadolor stressed the priority should be party unity over personal ambitions. “The party must come first before anyone can contest an election to any office in the land,” he said.
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