𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧: 𝐖𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐜 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐏𝐃𝐏 𝐁𝐨𝐓 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Wednesday as the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, declared that the party’s planned national convention in Ibadan will not hold despite directives from the Board of Trustees (BoT) insisting otherwise.

The Wike-aligned group, led by factional Acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, maintained its stance even after the BoT urged the National Working Committee to proceed with the convention scheduled for November 15–16. The national secretariat of the party remained sealed, forcing both factions to operate from alternative venues.

Earlier, the BoT met at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, with Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, former Kaduna Governor Ahmed Makarfi, and other senior party members in attendance.

Meanwhile, Abdulrahman’s faction convened at the private office of embattled National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu in Wuye, Abuja, where they briefed journalists on developments following Justice James Omotosho’s ruling, which halted the planned convention.

Abdulrahman said his group had obtained the Certified True Copy of the judgment and filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal. He warned that going ahead with the convention would amount to contempt of court, noting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had been formally notified of the decision.

He also dismissed the ex parte order from an Oyo State High Court restraining interference with the convention, arguing that it could not override a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court.

However, the Oyo State chapter of the PDP, loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde, insisted that preparations for the convention were in full gear and dismissed Wike’s camp as “political comedians.”

Oyo PDP Publicity Secretary Micheal Ogunsina said the party remained united under Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum, describing the opposing faction as suspended members with no authority to speak for the party.