PDP crisis deepens as faction names Ohuabunwa BoT chairman, dissolves Wabara leadership

The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalated on Friday after a faction loyal to the party’s Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammad, announced the dissolution of the Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) and named former Senator Mao Ohuabunwa as the new BoT Chairman.

The development followed an emergency meeting of the factional BoT in Abuja, where Hon. Isah Dansidi was also elected BoT Secretary, replacing Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the faction accused Wabara and Makarfi of compromising the neutrality expected of the BoT by allegedly “taking public positions” in the internal leadership dispute currently dividing the party.

“Accordingly, the board unanimously approved the election of Senator Mao Ohuabunwa and Hon. Isah Dansidi as Chairman and Secretary of the newly constituted Board of Trustees,” the communiqué stated.

The faction insisted that the party remains “one indivisible, united and democratic family,” while reaffirming loyalty to legally constituted organs of the party and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It also directed all structures of the party to immediately comply with the October 31 Federal High Court judgment which voided certain decisions of the previous leadership, adding that the ruling supersedes any conflicting interim order from a lower court.

On the proposed national convention, the faction supported a postponement pending the outcome of the appeal filed against the Federal High Court judgment, arguing that proceeding with the convention now would amount to “acting in contempt.”

Meanwhile, elder statesman and founding PDP chieftain, Senator Jim Nwobodo, who attended the meeting, urged party leaders to prioritise reconciliation and restore the party’s status as Nigeria’s leading democratic platform.

“The PDP is like the ANC of South Africa. It is the mother party. Many members of other parties today came from the PDP. You must reach out and bring them back home,” Nwobodo said.

He also appealed to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to help stabilise the party, praising his work in Abuja and urging him to channel the same energy into rebuilding the PDP.

“If you put the same effort into this party as you have put into developing Abuja, the PDP will be the party to beat,” he added.

The latest development signals a deepening of the already fraught leadership tussle in the PDP, further raising concerns over the party’s cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.