The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party is far from over as the faction loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, insisted that the national convention of the party slated for Ibadan, the Oyo State capital between November 15 and 16, will not hold.
Despite the position of the party’s Board of Trustees earlier on Wednesday, urging the National Working Committee to go ahead with the convention, the group led by the factional Acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, said the event would not hold.
The national secretariat of the party remained sealed as the two factions resorted to the use of other facilities to run their respective groups.
Earlier on Wednesday, the BoT of the PDP, aware of the status of the secretariat, met at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, Abuja.
It was an event attended by the National Chairman of the party, Umar Damagum alongside the BoT chairman, Adolphus Wabara, ex-Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi, and other party chieftains.
Similarly, Abdulrahman and his group met at the Wuye private office of embattled party secretary Samuel Anyanwu to brief the media about their activities since his emergence earlier in the week.
Abdulrahman said his group had gotten the Certified True Copy of Justice James Omotosho’s ruling, which last week put the convention on hold.
He said, “The national leadership of the PDP, under my humble self, in collaboration with our National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, hereby formally inform the Nigerian public that we have received the Certified True Copy of the recent judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered by Honourable Justice Omotosho in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2120/2025.
“We are pleased to confirm that our esteemed National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, has provided a thorough legal opinion on the implications of the judgment.
“In strict adherence to due process and our commitment to fairness, we have filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal to seek further judicial clarification and interpretation in the overall interest of our party, our members and Nigerian democracy.
“Consequently, having filed an appeal and in line with our responsibility to uphold the rule of law in the PDP, we hereby suspend and cancel the proposed Ibadan national convention pending the decision of the Court of Appeal. Any continuation with the proposed convention at this time would amount to a violation of the rule of law and shall not be condoned.”
He noted that the Independent National Electoral Commission, a party to the suit, “is fully aware of the judgment of the Federal High court.”
“We have deemed it necessary and responsible to formally communicate our position to the commission. Accordingly, we have notified INEC to suspend the national convention in strict compliance with the directive contained in the judgement,” he added.
He further argued that the ex parte order granted by Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court, cannot override the earlier ruling of Justice Omotosho.
