PDP NWC Challenges Wike-backed Convention, Heads To Court

The governors-backed National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN), has dismissed the convention organised by a faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, as a “jamboree,” insisting it is illegitimate and contemptuous of ongoing legal proceedings.

The faction also confirmed it has approached the Supreme Court to seek a final resolution of the protracted leadership crisis rocking the opposition party.

In a statement issued on Monday by its national publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, the governors-backed NWC said concerns had grown among party members over recent developments and the future of the PDP.

Ememobong stated, “With the series of disturbing activities occurring in succession within the last 48 hours, genuine members of the Peoples Democratic Party across the country have expressed their concerns and are asking what the future holds for the party and, by extension, our country’s democracy.

“To them, and other fair-minded, democracy-loving Nigerians, we reassure that we have taken this battle to the Supreme Court for the determination of all the issues relating to the leadership of our party, particularly as it relates to what constitutes an internal affair.

“With this appeal and the relevant concomitant applications filed and served on all the parties involved, we are hopeful that, sooner rather than later, the apex court will, in the interest of democracy, expeditiously hear and adjudicate on this matter.”

The group described the Wike-backed convention as a violation of due process, alleging it was held despite ongoing proceedings at the Court of Appeal.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we state that the pre-Easter jamboree of APC sympathisers and members of ‘Wike’s Autocratic Party’, which they mischievously tagged a PDP convention, was held in contempt of the Court of Appeal, where parties had entered appearances and agreed with the court on the way to proceed with the matter, only to turn around and undertake acts capable of destroying the res,” Ememobong said.

According to the Turaki-led faction, the Wike group has been served with appeal processes filed at the Supreme Court, alongside other legal actions challenging the legitimacy of the convention.

It further disclosed that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had earlier delivered judgment granting the Wike-backed faction access to the PDP national secretariat, with security agencies directed to provide protection.

It stated, “The validity of that gathering is now a matter before the court, which we will diligently follow to its conclusion.

“Additionally, the Federal High Court, Abuja, per Justice Abdulmalik, whom we had earlier applied to for recusal on the basis of her alleged bias against us, delivered judgment this morning in favour of the Wike-backed APC apologists, granting them access to the PDP secretariat and directing security agencies to offer them protection while in occupation of the said secretariat.

“In response, we have directed our lawyers to immediately file an appeal and other relevant applications against this judgment.”

The faction also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating the internal crisis within the PDP to weaken opposition politics in Nigeria.

“On the whole, we must admit what is already public knowledge—these are very trying times for us, the PDP, and all opposition parties in Nigeria. These crises are clearly orchestrated by the Bola Tinubu-led APC government, which has shown morbid fear of the existence of alternative political platforms and is determined to foist a one-party state in the country.

“This fear is fuelled by their knowledge of the impending rejection Nigerians are poised to deliver due to their abysmal performance in core governance issues such as security, the economy, and social welfare,” the statement added.

The group urged party members and Nigerians to remain hopeful, expressing confidence that the Supreme Court would uphold constitutional provisions and multi-party democracy.

“The Supreme Court now has the historic opportunity to uphold and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and its earlier decisions on the jurisdiction of courts in the internal affairs of political parties when it delivers its final judgment,” it said.

The PDP has been embroiled in a leadership crisis for nearly three years, leading to the emergence of rival factions within the party.

While the governors’ bloc, backed by Oyo State governor Seyi Makinde, and Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed, held a convention in Ibadan on November 16 where Turaki and others were elected into the NWC, the Wike-aligned faction later constituted a caretaker committee led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

Although the Court of Appeal upheld a ruling that invalidated the Ibadan convention, another panel had urged reconciliation among the warring groups.

However, fresh disagreements stalled peace efforts, culminating in the conduct of a parallel convention by the Wike-backed faction on Sunday, where Abdulrahman Mohammed emerged as National Chairman, Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary, alongside 17 other NWC members.