Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu were elected as the substantive National Chairman and National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday. The election took place at the party’s 2026 national convention in Abuja.
This faction of the party receives strong backing from the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Consequently, the emergence of the new leadership marks a significant shift in the party’s internal power structure.
Mohammed and Anyanwu emerged through a consensus alongside 19 other members of the National Working Committee. The event held at the velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium, drawing thousands of supporters.
Prominent attendees included former Senate President Bukola Saraki and former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido. Furthermore, former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi was present to witness the transition.
Wike Declares Healing Process For Resilient Party Members
Nyesom Wike, identified as the national leader of this faction, addressed the delegates with a message of hope. He assured members that the PDP would participate in the 2027 general elections.
“I have told Senator Saraki that, by the grace of God, the PDP will be on the ballot in 2027,” Wike stated amid cheers from the crowd.
“We have seen the real convention, the convention that is being monitored by the electoral umpire. That is the convention that is recognised,” the Minister added.
Wike also commended the 2,035 delegates for their resilience during recent internal storms. He alleged that those who pretended to be leaders had betrayed the party disgracefully in the past.
“I congratulate all of you who stood firm when the storm raged. You showed exemplary resilience when push came to shove,” Wike said during his address to the convention.
Restoration And Legal Hurdles Ahead Of 2027
The new Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, described the convention as a moment of responsibility. He argued that the party chose unity over division and renewal over decline.
“Today, we choose a higher path. We choose inclusiveness over exclusion, unity over division, we choose renewal over decline,” Mohammed stated.
“The PDP has not come here to mourn itself; the PDP has come here to renew itself. This convention is therefore not just about the election; this convention is about restoration,” he continued.
The party has been entangled in a crisis involving a rival faction led by Tanimu Turaki. That group is backed by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
The crisis peaked on March 9 when the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed a judgment restraining the PDP from conducting a rival convention in Ibadan. Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam delivered that judgment on March 23.
The appellate court held that the PDP had violated constitutional provisions. Meanwhile, the Turaki group has approached the Supreme Court to challenge these legal rulings.
Sule Lamido urged angry members to return to the party. He noted that the PDP remains Nigeria’s largest political family and has roots in every village across the country.
“PDP is Nigeria’s family; it is not about any individual or ego. Please come back to your party, PDP, which dignified you and made you what you are,” Lamido stated.
The convention planning committee chairman, Okezie Ikpeazu, emphasized that the door of reconciliation remains open. He noted that the party’s future depends on the collective effort of all its members.
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