Ibadan, Oyo State — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is finalizing preparations for its national convention this weekend amid factional disputes and conflicting court rulings that have cast uncertainty over the event.
Scheduled for Saturday and Sunday at Lekan Salami Stadium, the convention is expected to attract over 3,000 delegates from across the country, alongside party leaders, stakeholders, and international observers. The event will elect key national officers, including a new National Chairman and National Secretary.
Tensions escalated after the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC), led by National Chairman Umar Damagum, suspended the National Secretary, National Organising Secretary, and National Legal Adviser for alleged anti-party activities. The move followed a Federal High Court ruling by Justice James Omotosho that temporarily halted the convention over procedural lapses, including the party’s failure to properly notify INEC.
Relief for the Damagum-led NWC came when Justice Ladiran Akintola, in an ex parte motion, ordered the PDP to proceed with the convention, overriding earlier rulings, including a suspension requested by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, who challenged his exclusion from the chairmanship contest.
Preparations at Lekan Salami Stadium have been ongoing, with flags, stages, and decorations in the party’s colors being installed. Oyo State Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal and PDP Venue Secretary Olajide Stanley confirmed the venue was nearly ready, despite logistical challenges on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
National Vice Chairman (South-West) Kamorudeen Ajisafe said delegates from at least two-thirds of states had arrived, meeting the constitutional requirement for a valid convention. He emphasized that only a superior court ruling could halt proceedings, and INEC and security agencies were expected to oversee the event.
However, former Senate President Bukola Saraki and a faction of the party have called for a suspension of the convention. Saraki proposed the formation of a caretaker committee to temporarily manage party affairs, arguing that proceeding amid legal disputes would deepen internal divisions. PDP chieftain Gbenga Hashim-Olawepo echoed this view, urging reconciliation before any convention.
Conversely, former PDP Board of Trustees Chairman Bode George condemned calls to postpone the convention, describing them as “arrant nonsense” and insisting the event must proceed. Factional leaders loyal to Nyesom Wike have also urged delegates to stay away, citing existing court orders that prohibit the convention.
Rivers State exemplifies the broader party split: one faction plans to attend the convention, while the Wike-aligned group refuses participation, pointing to unresolved state congresses and judicial directives.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja did not deliver a judgment on Lamido’s suit challenging his exclusion. Justice Peter Lifu postponed the ruling, leaving the legality of the convention further clouded as the PDP navigates internal disputes and judicial scrutiny.
The convention represents a critical juncture for the PDP as it seeks to unify its factions and select leadership ahead of future electoral contests, with outcomes likely to shape the party’s stability and strategy for the 2027 elections.
