Dare Babalola
A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday announced the appointment of former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, as interim national chairman and Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja as interim national secretary, despite a recent Supreme Court judgment affirming the party’s recognised leadership.
The appointments were announced at a parallel National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, attended by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), founding members and other stakeholders.
The group said the interim National Working Committee (NWC) would oversee the affairs of the opposition party pending the conduct of a fresh national convention.
It also declared null and void the Ibadan convention that produced the former NWC, insisting all decisions taken from that exercise had been invalidated.
The meeting was presided over by PDP BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, after a motion moved by Delta State founding member, Chief Esther Uduehi, and seconded by House of Representatives PDP caucus leader, Fred Agbedi.
Among those present were Prof. Jerry Gana, former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, former Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, former Women Affairs Minister Inna Ciroma, former PDP Women Leader Zainab Maina and former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
In his acceptance speech, Turaki pledged that the PDP would field candidates for all elective positions in the 2027 general elections.
Makinde, who spoke at the gathering, described the meeting as a strong signal of support from party elders and founding members.
He urged members not to lose hope, saying the party was passing through a difficult phase.
“We as a party are going through our darkest moment right now because the day is about to break for a new order in our country,” Makinde said.
The governor added that the faction would support the interim leadership and continue pushing for what he described as democratic plurality in Nigeria.
“This is a battle for democracy. We will not give up. We will keep pushing on,” he stated.
Makinde also criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing the electoral body of acting hastily by updating its website to reflect changes in the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) before obtaining the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment.
“Nobody has seen the certified true copy of that judgment. So I do not understand how a national institution will be hasty enough to update those data without seeing the judgment,” he said.
He disclosed that the faction would formally notify INEC of the constitution of the interim NWC.
Wabara, in his remarks, said the NEC meeting was convened by two-thirds of NEC members in line with the PDP constitution.
According to him, the BoT stepped in to prevent a leadership vacuum following the Supreme Court ruling, which he claimed invalidated the previous national convention and the leadership it produced.
“This meeting is principally convened to chart a new course for our party and appoint an Interim National Working Committee to pilot the affairs of the PDP at this critical time,” Wabara said.
He called on party members to unite and reposition the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the faction of the party loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, rejected the meeting and all decisions reached there.
In a statement signed by National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Haruna Jagundo, the recognised NWC described the gathering as illegal and unconstitutional.
“No such meeting was convened by the leadership of the party. Any resolutions, announcements or claims emanating from that gathering are null, void and of no effect,” the statement read.
The group also faulted the formation of a caretaker arrangement, noting that some of those behind the move had previously argued that the PDP constitution did not provide for such a structure.
It further alleged that the meeting failed to comply with the Electoral Act 2026, particularly the requirement to give INEC at least 21 days’ notice.
The leadership loyal to Wike urged party members and the public to disregard the factional meeting, insisting the PDP remained under the leadership of acting national chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, and national secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.
