Imo PDP Dismisses Ibadan Convention As A Sham, Rejects Dissolution Of Exco

By Charles Igbo

The Imo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has dismissed the just concluded National Convention of the Party held in Ibadan as a sham. It has also rejected its outcome and described it as fit for the dustbin.

Recall that at the Convention held in Ibadan, the Imo State Chapter had its Executive Council dissolved and the National Secretary of the Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu who hails from the State, and is its leader, expelled. Anyanwu, popular as SamDaddy, was expelled alongside his political ally, Nyesom Wike, FCT Minister and others.

The Imo State Chairman of the Party, Austin Chukwu, was also expelled. He was one of those who dragged the party to Court and secured one if the injunctions against the holding of the Ibadan Convention.

But the Imo PDP has urged its members to disregard the  dissolution of the State Structure just as it described the Convention as illegal, and a tea party.

In a Press Release signed by its Publicity Secretary, Lancelot Obiaku, the Chapter  urged its  members, supporters and stakeholders to “completely disregard the news making the rounds that its structure has been dissolved, as such is only a wishful thought existing in the imaginations of its purveyors.”

The statement reads in part:

“We equally wish to add our voice to the litany of condemnations trailing the recent show of shame in Ibadan, Oyo State, which oozed illegality, recklessness, abuse and contempt.

“Imo PDP, therefore, firmly and outrightly rejects the sham convention.

“Our members are to note that the PDP is yet to conduct its Elective National Convention to elect new national officers. Any story to the contrary making the rounds in the media is simply propaganda and make-believe, which do not represent the actual situation of things.

“Simply put, what happened on November 15th and 16th was a mere gathering of a lawless Committee of Friends for a tea party, which attempted a ludicrous overreach that ultimately ended in futility.

“The plotters of the meeting, in their desperation, desecrated the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, and the constitution of the country with a phantom convention that paraded suspended and expelled members as part of the organizers, without delegates from Ebonyi, Anambra and Enugu States and thirteen other States, which currently have no valid State Executive.

“They also disobeyed binding and subsisting judgments of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered by Hon. Justice James Omotosho on October 31, 2025, and Hon. Justice Peter Odo Lifu on November 14, 2025, which, on accounts of the obvious abuse of process, constitutional infractions and other irregularities, including the usurpation of the powers and functions of the National Secretary and National Organizing Secretary, ordered the halt of any convention until the party complies with its constitution and guidelines.

“Furthermore, it is instructive to make it clear that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) obeyed the court judgments and refused to monitor or validate the illegal convention. INEC’s principled position is a powerful reinforcement of the fact that the impunity exhibited in the Ibadan assembly, or any decision reached there, cannot stand.

“We, therefore, urge our members and supporters to remain focused and unshaken despite the efforts of fifth columnists to stoke confusion and distraction.

“While totally condemning the continuous attack on the office of the National Secretary of the party, as legitimately held by our leader in Imo State, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, by these persons within and outside the party, Imo PDP reiterates confidence in Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman of our great party; Sen. Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary; Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa as BoT Chairman; and Hon. Austin Nwachukwu as our State Chairman.

“We stand solidly in support of discipline and constitutional order returning to our party and will continue to pursue and support only actions that promote due process, internal democracy and respect for the rule of law, which are the tenets upon which the party was founded.”

The PDP has, since 2023, been embroiled by intractable political crisis which has rendered the party casket-ready, almost.

The Ibadan National Convention was boycotted by a number of Party bigwigs, including three serving Governors  – Senator Ademola Adeleke, Kefas Agbu and Siminalayi Fubara of Osun, Taraba and Rivers, respectively.

In addition, a number of States, including Plateau, Adamawa, Rivers, Jigawa distanced their Chapters from the outcome of the Convention, especially, the expulsion of Party bigwigs.