JamzNG Latest News, Gist, Entertainment in Nigeria
The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is escalating, with allies of Nyesom Wike accusing the governor-backed faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) of plotting to derail the party’s planned national convention later this month.
Speaking in Abuja on Sunday, the National Publicity Secretary of the Wike-backed National Caretaker Working Committee, Junudo Mohammed, insisted that the convention scheduled for March 29-30, 2026, would go ahead despite alleged attempts to derail the process through legal channels.
He said, “It must be stated clearly that the court’s position on the PDP leadership remains firm. The decisions of the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal have confirmed the legitimacy and authority of the National Caretaker Committee as the recognized body to direct the current affairs of the party.
“This legal statement is binding and remains in full force and effect. Therefore, we urge all members of our party and the general public to take appropriate action and ignore any conflicting claims or misleading narratives.”
Mohammed further alleged that the Turaki-led faction took action to stop the convention through the courts. “However, it is deeply concerning that certain individuals continue to take actions aimed at undermining the stability and progress of our party. We are aware of the actions of a group led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, to approach a court in Ibadan in a bid to obtain an order to stop the upcoming national convention,” he said.
He expressed disappointment that reconciliation efforts were allegedly ignored, and added, “This is especially unfortunate considering that the party leadership, in good faith, has extended several invitations and opportunities for reconciliation and dialogue. Unfortunately, these offers were ignored, as the faction failed to demonstrate meaningful engagement.”
Reiterating the camp’s stance in favor of Wike, Mohammed emphasized that the party would not allow internal disputes to derail their plans. “However, we will not allow our party’s collective interests to be thwarted by actions that clearly contradict those principles,” he added.
He also asked the court to pay attention to what he described as an alleged abuse of the court process. “In this regard, we respectfully request the Honorable Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and Chief Judge of the State to take notice of the attempts to abuse the court process and thwart the legitimate activities of our party.
“We reaffirm our faith in the judiciary as the last hope of the general public and believe that justice will continue to be served according to the law.”
Mohammed stated that preparations for the convention had been completed. “Furthermore, we wish to assure all Nigerians, especially our members across the country, that the national convention of our great party, scheduled for March 29 and 30, 2026, will proceed as planned. All necessary arrangements have been completed, and the party is fully prepared to hold a successful, transparent and credible convention.”
Also read: Gunmen Attack Kwara Church, Kidnap Congregants While Security Forces Rescue Three People
However, the governor’s Turaki faction rejected the accusations, describing them as baseless and a form of blackmail. Responding, the National Publicity Secretary of the group, Ini Ememobong, said the claim was misleading.
“It is very sad that the people we thought should be polite are still living in the mud. The world will see that since the day we took the decision for reconciliation, we have undone everything,” he said.
He added that efforts had been made to engage Wike’s camp in dialogue. “We contacted them, and at first they said, ‘Oh, let’s wait until Ramadan is over,’ and so on. But they found something different.”
Ememobong accused rival factions of escalating tensions through public statements. “The only people who are weaponizing communications and still behaving as if reconciliation is impossible are their people. What they are clearly doing is blackmail.”
He also questioned the basis for the alleged legal action. “If they know where the order came from, they have to ask themselves whether their actions are right and proper. That is, if they know of a case that has not yet been started, it means they are the ones who will file the case.”
Although his camp was not aware of any plans to stop the convention, Ememobong expressed optimism that reconciliation could still be achieved. “So we’re still hopeful that reconciliation will work. We don’t know what they’re talking about. Instead of spending time and energy on inaugurating a convention committee, they should make themselves available for discussion.”
The new exchange highlights the deepening divisions within the PDP, despite earlier intervention from the governor who supported the Ibadan convention that produced Turaki and other members of the National Working Committee. While both factions both claim legitimacy and the Independent National General Election Commission has yet to recognize either side, this crisis continues to raise uncertainty over the party’s preparations ahead of the 2027 elections.
