The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, has rejected Saturday’s expulsion of prominent party leaders at a convention in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
This is even as four state chapters of the party have rejected the outcome of the convention, in what observers see as a revolt against Gov Seyi Makinde’s bid to exert his control of the party.
Over 3,000 delegates gathered in the ancient city of Ibadan on Saturday to elect new leaders for the main opposition party despite conflicting court orders.
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had on Friday ordered the PDP to suspend its national convention and restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from monitoring the same.
Delivering judgment in the suit instituted by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, Justice Peter Lifu stopped INEC from supervising, monitoring or recognising any convention conducted by the PDP without including the plaintiff as a contestant.
Justice Lifu held that evidence before the court established that Lamido was unjustly denied the opportunity to obtain a nomination form to contest for the position of National Chairman of the party, in violation of the PDP Constitution and its internal regulations.
The court further affirmed that the PDP was duty-bound to create opportunities for its members to serve by adopting deliberate measures that enable them to pursue their political aspirations.
As a consequential order, Justice Lifu directed that the planned convention be put on hold to allow Lamido to obtain the nomination form, mobilise supporters and conduct his campaign.
“An order is hereby made that before any convention is held, the PDP is to make nomination forms available to the plaintiff.
“In the light of the above, it is hereby held that the convention be put on hold for the plaintiff to obtain a nomination form, campaign and mobilise supporters,” the judge declared.
Recall that on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, Justice Lifu delivered a similar ruling restraining the PDP from holding the convention, which was intended to elect new national officers to lead the party.
Lamido, through his counsel, Jephthah Njikonye, SAN, had filed an ex parte motion, seeking an interim injunction to stop the convention pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The former governor, in his suit, stated that if the PDP is not restrained, the party would be violating its constitution and, by implication, denying him the opportunity to contest for the position of national chairman, a position he claimed he is eminently qualified to seek.
Justice Lifu, while delivering a ruling in the motion, held that the plaintiff’s application had merit and consequently restrained the PDP from convening the event, pending the determination of the substantive matter before the court.
He argued that there’s no reason to depart from an earlier ruling delivered by Justice James Omotosho of the same court on October 31, 2025, which similarly halted the PDP’s planned convention and restrained INEC from participating.
However, in a conflicting order, the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan permitted the PDP to proceed with the convention.
Justice Ladiran Akintola approved the convention while ruling on an ex parte application filed by an Oyo PDP member, Mr Folahan Adelabi, and directed INEC to attend and monitor the convention for the election of new national officers.
The conflicting court orders effectively balkanised the party into two factions-one loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike and the other, backed by the PDP governors and other party organs.
During the convention at Ibadan, the party, following the adoption of a motion moved by its former Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Bode George, expelled Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, ex-National Vice Chairman (South-South), Chief Dan Orbih and a handful of others.
However, one of the PDP leaders expelled at the convention, Abdulrahman Mohammed, described the development as laughable, vowing to carry on with his duties as the Acting National Chairman.
Mohammed was named the Acting chair after the faction loyal to Wike suspended the former National Chairman, Umar Damagum and the entire National Working Committee.
Speaking with The PUNCH on Sunday, Mohammed vowed to continue in office, stressing that no convention was held in Ibadan.
PDP firestorm: Wike camp rejects expulsion as four states challenge Makinde
