The ongoing Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) crisis escalated significantly on Tuesday as the faction loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, formally confirmed the expulsion of several senior party figures, further deepening the internal rift within the party.
According to a statement issued by the factional National Executive Committee (NEC), the decision to expel the party members came in response to heightened tensions following the contentious national convention held on Saturday in Ibadan, which saw both factions of the party claim legitimacy.
Governors and Top Party Leaders Expelled
During a meeting held in Abuja, the Wike-backed NEC officially ratified the expulsion of key figures, including Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State. These expulsions highlight the growing divide within the PDP as the faction seeks to assert control over the party’s leadership.
In addition to sitting governors, the expulsion list also included former Board of Trustees Chairman Senator Adolphus Wabara, former National Vice Chairman Bode George, and the recently elected National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki, SAN. This decisive move came just days after Wike and his loyalists themselves were expelled by the rival faction during the Ibadan convention, demonstrating the tit-for-tat nature of the ongoing power struggle.
The feud intensified when both factions later clashed at the PDP national secretariat in Wadata Plaza, Abuja. Each faction conducted parallel NEC and Board of Trustees meetings, claiming legitimacy over party structures and decisions, further complicating the crisis and creating confusion among party members and supporters across the country.
Six State Executives Dissolved
The factional NEC further announced the dissolution of party executive councils in six states: Oyo, Bauchi, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos, and Ekiti. In place of the dissolved executives, the NEC directed the formation of caretaker committees and mandated that fresh congresses be held across all affected states, signaling a complete restructuring of party leadership in these regions under the Wike-aligned faction.
NEC Lists Names Facing Fresh Disciplinary Action
In a communiqué read by the factional National Secretary, Senator Sam Anyanwu, it was revealed that Acting National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, reported multiple breaches of Articles 58(1) and 59(1) of the party constitution. The accused members were charged with anti-party activities, disobedience to court orders, and conduct that had brought the party into disrepute.
The disciplinary steps outlined by the factional NEC will target the following individuals: Adolphus Wabara, Olabode George, Ben N. Obi, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, Bala Mohammed, Oluseyi Makinde, Dauda Lawal, Taofiq Arapaja, Setonji Koshoedo, Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, Woyengikuro Daniel, Mohammed Kadade Suleiman, Emmanuel Ogidi, Sumaila Adamu Burga, Umar Sani, Udom Emmanuel, and Emmanuel Enorden. These actions demonstrate the Wike faction’s determination to discipline members they consider disloyal or disruptive to party unity.
Despite these expulsions and disciplinary measures, the PDP crisis remains unresolved, with both factions continuing to assert their own leadership structures, making independent decisions, and rejecting the authority of the opposing side. The continued discord within Nigeria’s main opposition party raises concerns about its readiness and cohesion ahead of upcoming political contests and general elections.
As the crisis unfolds, party members, political analysts, and the general public remain on edge, closely monitoring developments that may either deepen the internal rift or eventually lead to reconciliation between the competing factions of the PDP.