The board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it has assumed the leadership of the party so as not to allow any leadership vacuum at the national level of the party, as a result of the judgement of the Supreme Court.
BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, in a statement, described the apex court judgement that nullified the November 15 and 16, 2025 PDP National Convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, as unpleasant.
“While the Supreme Court invalidated the Ibadan Convention, it also in a unanimous decision of the five justices on the panel, upheld the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature, Kamaldeen Ajibade as National Secretary, National Organising Secretary and National Legal Adviser, respectively from the Party.
“The implication of (the) judgement by the Supreme Court is that all actions taken by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature and Barr. Kamaldeen Ajibade, 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 29, 2026 Convention in Abuja are illegal, null and ab initio void,” Wabara explained.
He added that 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 the party on the BoT as the second highest organ of the PDP, “pursuant to the express and unambiguous provision of Section 32 (5) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).”
The former President of the Senate disclosed that the BoT has assumed responsibility of the leadership of the PDP “as immediate constitutional remedial steps to foster genuine reconciliation, salvage, stabilise and return the party to good political health.”
He announced plan to convene an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, to among other things, appoint an interim National Working Committee to take charge of the party’s national secretariat and pilot the affairs of the party at the national level so as to meet all the timeline in the Electoral Act, 2026 and ensure that the PDP fields candidates and also emerged victorious in all elective positions in the 2027 general elections.
“Consequently, all staff of the PDP are hereby directed to resume at the National Secretariat of the party under the leadership of the BoT ahead of the appointment of the Interim National Working Committee,” Wabara directed.
He commended the Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde, the National Assembly caucus, the National ex-officios, the Forum of PDP State Chairmen and state chapters, the youth and women wings and other organs and bodies in the PDP for standing strong for the party at this trying time.
Wabara called on PDP leaders and members, to jettison personal and group interests and come together as one family in the overall interest of the party, democracy and the wellbeing of millions of Nigerians whose hope are anchored on the PDP.
“The PDP has suffered enough; the painful victims of this unfortunate episode is the Nigerian people.
“The time has therefore come for us to make sacrifices, sheathe our swords and embrace genuine reconciliations for lasting peace and chart a new course for our party,” he pleaded.
