By Myke Uzendu, Abuja.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of Abdulrahman Mohammed has slated March 29 – 30 as date for its National convention following a judgement of an Ibadan High Court that affirmed the group as legitimate leaders of the party.
This is even as management and staff of Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI) has thrown its weight behind the group led by former Minister of Special Duties Tanimu Turaki (SAN) despite a subsisting court order.
The Mohammed group in a communique read at the end of its National Working Committee meeting on Tuesday in Abuja reiterated that PDP is one and dismissed the idea of factionalisation and some the activities of the other group trying to hold claim to its leadership.
The Acting Chairman who spoke at the beginning of the meeting said,
“There is no division in the PDP under my leadership. The PDP is united. We are working towards a peaceful and all-inclusive convention of our party. I am sure that members of the party are following developments and know that we are genuinely working to reposition this party.
“The party remains united, committed to bringing its members together, and focused on forging ahead in preparation for future elections.
“This caretaker committee is also working in accordance with the PDP constitution and electoral laws to organize an all-inclusive National Convention. So, as we move forward, our focus will continue to be on inclusiveness, transparency, and ensuring that every member of the party has a voice in shaping the future of the PDP”.
In a schedule of activities released at the end of the meeting, the National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed said,
“Recall that yesterday, during the NEC meeting, a date was announced for the national convention of the party, which was billed to hold on the 28th and 29th of March.
“However, after careful consideration of certain factors, the date has been slightly adjusted for the convention to take place on the 29th to the 30th of March, instead of the earlier 28th–29th of March.
“Secondly, the NEC working committee has equally dissolved the North-West, South-West, and Plateau State Zonal Committees. The zonal committees of the PDP will have a caretaker committee appointed soon.
“Furthermore, the timetable approved for the congresses in the states, zonal, and ward congresses will take effect as approved by NEC.
“The National Caretaker Working Committee will consult widely before the announcement of the National Convention Planning Committee”.
Meanwhile, The Management and Staff of PDP and Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI) have described the recent pronouncement of an Ibadan High Court as biased and part of efforts to critiple the party by anti-democratic forces.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by 75 staff of PDP and PDI, they reaffirmed “recognition, loyalty and allegiance to the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN-led National Working Committee (NWC) of our great Party which was duly and legally elected at the Party’s National Convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15-16, 2025”.
They PDP staff said that they “stand by the election of the National Working Committee and all other resolutions reached at the Ibadan National Convention as they are in the general interest of our party in the exercise of its supremacy over its internal affairs in line with the Constitution of the PDP and extant judgments of the Supreme Court.
“That the staff of the PDP, as custodians of the PDP Secretariat, will not align with or recognize any other unauthorised leadership apart from the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki SAN-led National Working Committee (NWC) because the leadership was validly elected at the National Convention sanctioned by all the legitimate organs of the Party”.
The staff claimed that it is already established in plethora of judgments of the Supreme Court that issues of membership, leadership, congresses and Conventions of a political party are entirely the internal affairs of the Party requiring only the Party internal mechanism to which the courts have no jurisdiction to interfere or interrogate.
According to them, “there was no legal encumbrance whatsoever against the conduct of the National Convention in Ibadan to elect new National Officers of our party, as it was legally convened by the National Executive Committee at its 101st meeting of July 24, 2025 pursuant to its powers under Section 31 (2) (a) of the PDP Constitution.
“Our Party fulfilled the statutory requirements of the law as stipulated in Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022 by notifying INEC of the National Convention which was convened with them (INEC) in attendance. And similarly, on the just delivered Supreme Court Judgment in the case of INEC vs SDP & Ors, the Apex Court while admonishing INEC, reaffirmed its longstanding position that what is required of the Political Parties is to “Notify” the Commission as required by law; and this our Party has done”.
They stated that they are also aware that according to the Electoral Act, the only time a Convention, Congress or Meeting would be voided under the law is if notice of such events were never given to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
They argued that as custodians of the National Secretariat of the PDP, they are very much aware that the immediate past NWC is “funtus officio” since their tenure has ended by effluxion of time, and therefore, no member of that NWC can lay claim to any office under any guise whatsoever.
“We commend the leadership of our Party for swiftly filing an appeal and Stay of Execution which puts the judgment by Justice Uche Agomoh in abeyance and retains the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee which was duly elected at the Ibadan Convention legally intact, valid and fully operational. We are optimistic that the appellates Court will set aside these judgments that are intended to reverse the gains we have made in our democratic journey as a Nation.
“As critical stakeholders in the Democratic process, we urge the National Judicial Council (NJC) to caution judges who are complicit in delivering judgments or issuing orders that make them appear as willing tools in the hands of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to cripple opposition and destroy our hard-earned democracy” they maintained.
