James Adamu in Abuja
The crisis within Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, has dramatically escalated, leaving it split wide open as a faction loyal to the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, remains defiant and has vowed to stop its upcoming national convention.
The faction, led by a self-proclaimed acting national chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, insisted on Wednesday that the convention slated for Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, between November 15 and 16 will not hold.
This declaration came just hours after the party’s Board of Trustees met and urged the National Working Committee to proceed with the event.
The physical division was mirrored at the party’s headquarters, Wadata Plaza in Abuja, which remained sealed and under police guard, forcing the rival factions to operate from separate locations.
The BoT, aware of the sealed secretariat, convened at the Bauchi State Governor’s Lodge, while the Abdulrahman group met at the private Wuye office of the embattly party secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
From that office, Abdulrahman announced that his group had obtained the Certified True Copy of a ruling from Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had last week put the convention on hold. Flanked by his supporters, he presented a legal justification for his position.
“The national leadership of the PDP, under my humble self, in collaboration with our National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, hereby formally inform the Nigerian public that we have received the Certified True Copy of the recent judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered by Honourable Justice Omotosho,” Abdulrahman stated.
He continued, “We are pleased to confirm that our esteemed National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, SAN, has provided a thorough legal opinion on the implications of the judgment.
“In strict adherence to due process and our commitment to fairness, we have filed an appeal before the Court of Appeal to seek further judicial clarification and interpretation in the overall interest of our party, our members and Nigerian democracy.”
This legal strategy formed the bedrock of his faction’s defiance. “Consequently, having filed an appeal and in line with our responsibility to uphold the rule of law in the PDP, we hereby suspend and cancel the proposed Ibadan national convention pending the decision of the Court of Appeal. Any continuation with the proposed convention at this time would amount to a violation of the rule of law and shall not be condoned,” he declared.
The faction also moved to formalise its position with the electoral body, a key party to the legal dispute. “We have deemed it necessary and responsible to formally communicate our position to the commission. Accordingly, we have notified INEC to suspend the national convention in strict compliance with the directive contained in the judgement,” Abdulrahman added.
In a direct challenge to the other faction, which is relying on an ex parte order from an Oyo State High Court to proceed, Abdulrahman argued, “We are also aware of an ex parte order recently issued by a High Court in Oyo State. While we await the Certified True Copy of the said order, we reiterate that an ex parte order cannot override a subsisting judgment of the Federal High Court.”
Meanwhile, the Oyo State chapter of the PDP, which is loyal to Governor Seyi Makinde and is hosting the planned convention, dismissed the Wike aligned faction as an irrelevant group of troublemakers. The state Publicity Secretary, Micheal Ogunsina, insisted the convention would proceed as scheduled.
“We must stop listening to charlatans and political comedians. PDP is one, and the National Chairman is Umar Damagum. We should not give life to suspended national working committee members. Their words hold no water, and they are wasting their time,” Ogunsina said, striking a combative tone.
He expressed confidence that all party organs were united behind the convention.
“The NWC, BOT and all other organs of the party are working very hard to ensure that the national convention holds,” he stated, adding a warning to those he deemed aggrieved. “Those who are aggrieved in the party must understand that if the party leadership under Damagum and Wabara will be magnanimous in handling their misdemeanours, they must be humble with their excesses.”
Samuel Anyanwu, the factional secretary, provided his reasoning for the sealed secretariat, alleging a threat to safety.
“When I arrived at the office to do my normal job (Monday), I was almost attacked by hoodlums. Under the directives and instructions of Umar Damagu, the former PDP chairman, I heard them clearly asking the boys to attack. If not for the intervention of the police, most of the staff (members) would have been murdered,” he claimed. “And for that reason, as the custodian of the office, as the secretary, I asked everybody to stay away. Let us find a lasting solution to make the place safer for our people to do their jobs.”
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