Wike-backed PDP faction fixes March 28–29 national convention

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scheduled its national convention for March 28–29, 2026, setting the stage for the election of a new National Working Committee (NWC) after months of leadership disputes.

The decision was announced in a communiqué issued at the end of the party’s 105th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on Monday in Abuja. The statement confirmed that the Abdulrahman Mohammed–led National Caretaker Committee has assumed full control of the party’s administration following recent court rulings.

According to the communiqué, the convention is intended to resolve lingering internal crises and restore stability to the opposition party. NEC also approved a timetable for congresses nationwide, with ward and local government congresses scheduled for February 2026 and state congresses set for March, ahead of the national convention.

NEC directed the caretaker leadership to immediately activate convention sub-committees and begin logistical and consultative preparations to ensure what it described as a transparent and credible process. It also extended the tenure of caretaker committees at national, state and zonal levels to avoid leadership gaps pending the congresses.

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The party welcomed a recent Federal High Court ruling in Ibadan, which invalidated a rival national convention held last year and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the caretaker committee led by Abdulrahman Mohammed. NEC described the judgment as critical to restoring constitutional order within the party.

Addressing the meeting, Mohammed said the ruling provided “long-awaited legal clarity” and affirmed the legitimacy of the current leadership. He described 2025 as a difficult period marked by internal divisions, adding that the party was now positioned to resume normal organisational activities.

“There are no absolute losers in this process,” he said, urging members to put aside factional differences and focus on rebuilding trust and unity within the PDP.

Mohammed also commended Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory, for his role during the party’s crisis, as well as former Senate president Bukola Saraki for advocating adherence to due process.

Factional dispute and parallel structures

The announcement comes amid a prolonged power struggle within the PDP. A faction backed by Wike had opposed a November 2025 convention in Ibadan organised by another group aligned with Seyi Makinde, governor of Oyo State, and Bala Mohammed, governor of Bauchi State.

That Ibadan convention produced a rival NWC led by Kabiru Turaki, but was preceded by conflicting court rulings, including injunctions from federal high courts in Abuja halting the exercise. Although an Oyo State High Court later cleared the convention to proceed, the legal uncertainty persisted.

In December, INEC declined to recognise the Turaki-led NWC, citing multiple court judgements, effectively reinforcing the authority of the Abdulrahman-led caretaker committee.

With the legal battles now largely settled, the PDP leadership said the March convention would mark a decisive step toward consolidating authority, ending parallel structures, and repositioning the party ahead of future elections.