Fatimah Otunsanya
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday rejected claims to the leadership of the party by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara following the Supreme Court’s nullification of the November 2025 Ibadan National Convention.
The Wike Led PDP warned Wabara to desist from speaking for the party as the tenure of the PDP Board of Trustees which he once headed has long expired.
Wabara, had issued a statement on Thursday moment after the Supreme Court’s judgment ,saying the BoT had assumed leadership of the party with immediate effect pursuant to the empowering provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (As amended in 2017)
This, he said,was to avoid any leadership vacuum at the national level of the party.
He also said that in view of the Supreme Court’s upholding of the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature, Kamaldeen Ajibade as National Secretary, National Organizing Secretary and National Legal Adviser respectively from the party, all actions taken by them “ including the appointment of Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman, the composition of the National Caretaker Working Committee and the conduct and outcome of the March 29th, 2026 Convention in Abuja are illegal, null and ab initio void.”
Continuing, the consequential invalidation of both the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led as well as the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led Working Committees directly places the statutory onus of leadership of our great party on the shoulders” of the BoT.
“This remains the sole substance of the judgment, contrary to the false narratives being circulated. The judgment did not uphold any suspension or expulsion of any officer of the party.
“The reason is simple: the issue of suspension or expulsion was never before the Federal High Court, let alone the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court. It was neither canvassed at the Federal High Court nor formed part of the questions for determination at any level of adjudication.
“The apex court addressed only the matter before it, which is the validity or otherwise of the so-called 15th and 16th Ibadan ‘Convention’. Accordingly, throughout the Supreme Court judgment, there was no mention whatsoever of suspension or expulsion of any party officer.
It is also important to state that there has never been a vacuum, obstruction, or absence of leadership in our party that presupposes an interim takeover of the administration of the party by any authority.”
He said the leadership structure of the PDP remains intact, lawful, and fully operational under Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed as National Chairman and Mr.Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.
He accused the Taminu Turaki group of engaging in a desperate attempt to “twist the clear facts contained in the judgement of the Supreme Court in order to mislead the public and seek undeserved sympathy.”
Continuing, he said: “I make it bold to say that the judgement is a public document which can be accessed by anybody to ascertain the content of the said judgement.
“The same individuals who disobeyed valid court orders to conduct the illegal Ibadan Convention have continued in their pattern of lawlessness by assembling again, even after the Supreme Court has spoken.
“Their actions only reinforce what is already evident: an agenda set out with the sole intention to destabilise the party. The general public should now understand who is committed to the survival of the PDP and who has been working tirelessly to undermine it.
The Chairman of the PDP BoT, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa,said “necessary constitutional steps will be taken, as appropriate, to further strengthen the party’s unity, stability, and preparedness for upcoming electoral engagements.”
He asked members of the party to remain “focused, united and committed.”
He mandated the National Working Committee to immediately constitute a National Reconciliation Committee to reach out to all aggrieved members of the party across the country during this moment.
