The leadership crisis rocking the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) took an unprecedented dimension on Monday, as the rival factions loyal to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and Federal Capital Territory Minister (FCT), Nyesom Wike, scheduled parallel National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings at the party’s national secretariat, Abuja, for Tuesday.
New Telegraph reports that both factions are laying claim to the control of the party after a fiercely contested national convention in Ibadan on Saturday, which produced a new National Working Committee and expelled several prominent Wike loyalists.
Despite their expulsion, Wike’s associates issued a notice calling for an emergency NEC and Board of Trustees meeting at the party’s national headquarters, Wadata Plaza, in Abuja.
The notice, signed by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, insisted the session was mandatory and would address “Crucial matters.”
Titled “Invitation to emergency 103rd National Executive Committee Meeting,” the notice fixed the BoT meeting for 11 am and the NEC for 2 pm at the PDP national headquarters.
New Telegraph had earlier reported that the newly elected National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, visited the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) headquarters to alert the authorities of an alleged plot by Anyanwu and his group to disrupt party activities.
Speaking with journalists, Turaki said, “We came to interface with the Commissioner of Police of the FCT regarding the meeting we plan to have tomorrow. It will be the inaugural meeting of our National Working Committee.”
He said Wike’s loyalists had no legitimacy after their expulsion in Ibadan.
“Next to God, the national convention is the highest authority of a political party. Those expelled are no longer members of our party. We’ve reported their moves because we do not want any breach of peace,” he said.
Turaki warned that any group attempting to operate from the secretariat outside the newly elected leadership would be treated as “interlopers.”
He vowed to personally lead the new NWC into the headquarters today, saying, “We are prepared to defend our party and our democracy.”
Following his return from the Force headquarters, the Turaki-led NWC issued its own invitation to stakeholders for an emergency meeting at the same venue.
Recently expelled National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, told The PUNCH he would attend the Anyanwu-convened meeting, described as a deliberation on “the state of the party.”
He brushed off claims of his expulsion.
A national leader of the party, Chief Bode George, however, insisted that the emergency NEC and BoT meetings called by Anyanwu were illegal.
“He (Anyanwu) has been expelled. He is trying to create a parallel organ. He should wake up and go to his village,” he said.
A member of the Makinde camp, who spoke anonymously, argued that Turaki could not legitimately take over the party secretariat.
“Only 16 states participated in their so-called convention. You cannot elect national officers with delegates from just 16 states,” the source claimed.
He accused PDP leaders across the divide—Wike, Makinde, and George—of engaging in anti-party activities during the 2023 general elections.
Makarfi resigns as BoT Secretary
Amid the escalating tension, former Kaduna State Governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, announced his resignation as Secretary of the PDP Board of Trustees.
In a letter dated November 17, 2025, Makarfi said he stepped down because the newly elected National Chairman also hails from the North-West, arguing that both offices should not be occupied by persons from the same zone.
He recalled that he had attempted to resign two months earlier but was persuaded to remain until after the national convention.
“With a Chairman now emerging from the North-West where I come from, it is necessary to give him full space to do the needful,” he wrote.
The PDP’s internal turmoil intensified after a series of conflicting court orders. A Federal High Court in Abuja had restrained the party from holding the Ibadan convention, while an Oyo State High Court granted permission for the event to proceed and directed INEC to monitor it.
Despite the legal tussle, Governors Ahmadu Fintiri, Caleb Muftwang, Bala Mohammed, and host governor Seyi Makinde attended the convention at the Lekan Salami Stadium, where Wike, Anyanwu, Acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, and ex–ex-South-South National Vice Chairman Dan Orbih were expelled.
Since then, both factions have been issuing statements and notices asserting leadership control.
As the warring blocs prepare for the showdown at Wadata Plaza today, Nigerians are watching to see how the PDP navigates one of its toughest internal battles ahead of the 2027 general elections.
