By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The leadership and internal crises bedeviling the Peoples Democratic party PDP on Monday May 4, 2026 took a turn for the worse as the Governor Seyi Makinde-backed faction named a 13-member National Caretaker Committee to steer the affairs of the party ahead of the 2027 polls.
The Source reports that on Thursday, April 30, Supreme Court’s judgment created what many have come to perceive as a huge leadership lacuna as the two contending offered varying interpretations of the ruling to justify their claims to the party leadership.
While the five-member panel of Justices of the country’s apex court had, in a majority ruling, declared as a nullity, the November 14 and 15 Ibadan National Convention that gave birth to the Tanimu Turaki-led factional National Working Committee NWC , dissenting rulings by two of the justices had also reaffirmed the trial Court’s and Court of Appeal’s earlier verdict validating the suspension ,and later expulsion order slammed NJon the National Secretary of the party Senator Samuel Anyanwu and others.
Similarly, while the Supreme Court affirmed the Nyesom Wike-backed Abdulraham Mohammed-led NEC as the authentic leadership ,the minority verdict however subtly voided same with a declaration that all actions undertaken by expelled Anyanwu,which included the nomination of Mohammed first as Interim National Chairman ,and later by playing a key role in the Abuja Convention where Mohammed emerged as the substantive Chairman ,are null,void and of no effect.
Instructively, before the intervention of the apex court ,a Federal Capital Territory FCT High Court had on January 12, 2026, upheld the expulsion of Anyanwu by the PDP authorities.
Senator Anyanwu and others were on November 1, 2025, based on the reports and recommendations of the Chief Tom Ikimi-led National Disciplinary Committee NDC suspended and later expelled Anyanwu and others over alleged gross anti-party activities.
The FCT High Court Abuja had a few days before the Supreme Court judgment warned the duo of Senator Anyanwu and the INEC Chairman against the consequences of continued disobedience of the court’s January 12 ruling, ordering the electoral umpire to discontinue the recognition of Anyanwu as the PDP National Secretary, and asked Anyanwu to stop parading himself as such.
The appointment of the Turaki-led 13-member interim PDP which was conducted by the Chairman of the Board of Trustees BoT Senator Adolphus Wabara at the 103rd NEC meeting in Abuja, was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by the Edo state PDP Chairman Tony Aziegbemi ,and seconded by an ex-officio member Clement Fagboyede.
While Taofeek Arapaja, a known ally of the Oyo state Governor, Makinde will serve as the National Secretary ,Ini Ememobong still retains his position as the National Publicity Secretary.
The Wike-backed faction has, however, rejected any claims of further factionalisation , insisting that the April 30 Supreme Court’s judgment has conclusively settled all leadership questions within the PDP.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
