The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally assumed control of the party’s national leadership following a Supreme Court judgment that nullified the party’s November 2025 national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Senator Adolphus Wabara, Chairman of the BoT, announced the takeover in a statement issued on Thursday, describing it as a constitutional intervention to prevent a leadership vacuum at the national level of the party.
“This constitutional intervention of the BoT is so as not to allow any leadership vacuum at the national level of our party following judgment of the Supreme Court,” Wabara said.
The Supreme Court, in a split decision of three justices against two, voided the 15th to 16th November 2025 National Convention which had produced the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the party.
The apex court also upheld the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature, and Kamaldeen Ajibade as National Secretary, National Organizing Secretary, and National Legal Adviser, respectively.
Justice Stephen Jona Adah, who read the lead majority judgment, held that the disobedience to a lawful order of court by the faction that conducted the Ibadan convention was “an unpardonable act that must not be allowed in the interest of the rule of law and democracy,” according to reports of the ruling.
Wabara outlined the far-reaching implications of the judgment, stating: “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 29th, 2026 Convention in Abuja are illegal, null and ab initio void.
”The crisis that led to this judgment traces back to a dispute over the Ibadan convention itself.
Former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido had approached the Federal High Court, alleging he was denied nomination forms to contest for National Chairman. Justice Peter Lifu of the Abuja division of the Federal High Court had stopped the convention, citing breaches of the party’s constitution and failure to comply with due process.
Despite the restraining order, the convention went ahead, prompting further litigation that eventually reached the Supreme Court.With both the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led and Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led Working Committees invalidated, Wabara explained that the BoT is now constitutionally empowered to act.
“The statutory onus of leadership of our great party now rests on the shoulders of the Board of Trustees as the Second Highest Organ of the Party, pursuant to the express and unambiguous provision of Section 32(5) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).”
The BoT chairman announced that an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) will be summoned to appoint an Interim National Working Committee to take charge of the National Secretariat and pilot the party’s affairs at the national level. This, he said, is to ensure the PDP meets “all the timeline in the Electoral Act, 2026” and fields candidates for the 2027 general elections.
Consequently, all staff of the PDP have been directed to resume at the National Secretariat under the leadership of the BoT ahead of the appointment of the Interim National Working Committee.Wabara commended party stakeholders, including Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde, the National Assembly caucus, and other party organs for “standing strong for the party at this trying time.
”He also issued a direct appeal to all party members to set aside personal and group interests in the interest of the PDP and democracy.“
The PDP has suffered enough; the painful victims of this unfortunate episode is the Nigerian people,” Wabara said. “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.”
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