The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) stands at perhaps the most critical juncture in its 26-year history, facing what appears to be an irreconcilable internal schism. The party now effectively operates under two competing centres of power, each issuing contradictory directives and claiming legitimacy. This deep fracture was laid bare by a recent court ruling that has not so much resolved the party’s disputes as it has provided a new battlefield for them.
The immediate catalyst was the judgement delivered on Friday by Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja. In a case brought by three aggrieved members of the party, the judge issued an order stopping the planned 2025 National Convention of the PDP. Justice Omotosho ruled that the convention could not proceed until the party “complies with the statutory requirements of the party, the Constitution and the Electoral Act.” Furthermore, he restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “from accepting report on the outcome of any national convention of the party without following the due process of the law as well as its guidelines and regulations.”
This ruling was widely seen as a victory for a powerful faction within the PDP known as the Concerned PDP Stakeholders, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. For this group, the court order was a validation of their long-standing grievances. Reacting to the development, Wike, speaking on behalf of the stakeholders, declared that the group was pleased to have “fought against impunity” within the Peoples Democratic Party. He described the situation that led to the court case as “unfortunate,” and accused the party’s national leadership of failing to carry key members along in decision-making processes.
Wike expressed profound concern over what he called the “steady decline” of the PDP, laying the blame squarely on “arrogance and impunity among its top leaders.” He issued a stark warning, stating, “The current leadership has violated the core values of our great party,” and vowed that the concerned stakeholders would “resist any attempt to undermine the party’s integrity.” Crucially, he laid down a clear condition for peace, emphasising that the group remained open to dialogue but that the party’s leaders “must talk to us for National Convention to hold.”
However, in a dramatic and swift response that underscores the depth of the division, the national leadership of the PDP, operating from its Wadata Plaza headquarters, chose a path of outright defiance. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, issued a statement vehemently rejecting the court’s judgement. In a move that has created immense confusion among party members nationwide, Ologunagba asserted that the action of the court “does not invalidate the party’s ability to proceed with the processes and activities towards the National Convention to elect new national officers.”
He described the judgement as “an assault on Nigeria’s democratic processes,” and sought to provide a legal justification for the party’s defiance. “Our Party notes the recent judgement of the Supreme Court which affirms the supremacy of a political party in the management of its internal affairs,” Ologunagba stated. Consequently, he issued a direct instruction that pits the party’s apparatus against the court’s order: “The PDP therefore charges its members, Chapter and Organs to remain steadfast and focused on preparations towards the holding of the National Convention of our Party.” Nevertheless, acknowledging the legal reality, he added, “the PDP as the leading opposition Party in Nigeria committed to the Rule of Law has accordingly directed its lawyers to take immediate action to appeal this judgment.”
This open confrontation has created a perfect storm for the main opposition party. The party now has one faction, led by its elected national officials, instructing its structures to continue preparations for a convention that a court of law has suspended. Simultaneously, another powerful faction, comprising influential figures like Wike, several serving governors, former governors, and lawmakers, is hailing the court order and vowing to ensure it is respected.
The roots of this crisis are not new. They can be traced back to the fallout of the 2023 presidential election and the subsequent leadership struggle. The Wike faction has consistently accused the party leadership under its acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, of high-handedness, a lack of transparency, and of sidelining major stakeholders in critical decisions, including the planning of the very national convention now in dispute. Their core argument is that the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act are being violated in the rush to hold the convention, hence their approach to the court.
On the other hand, the national leadership views the Wike group as a band of recalcitrant members seeking to hold the entire party to ransom because they did not get their way in past internal contests. They see their mandate as steering the party towards a crucial convention to elect new leaders, a process they believe should not be derailed by a disgruntled minority.
For the average PDP member and supporter, this public war is dispiriting. It paints a picture of a party too preoccupied with internal power struggles to effectively perform its role as the nation’s primary opposition, at a time when many argue a strong opposition is vital for the country’s democracy. The situation also places INEC in a difficult position, caught between a court order and a defiant political party.
The path to resolution remains deeply uncertain. The national leadership is betting on a successful appeal to overturn the injunction, allowing it to proceed with the convention and reassert its authority. The Wike faction is betting that the court order will force the leadership to the negotiating table to discuss their demands for inclusivity and adherence to internal laws. What is clear is that the PDP, once Nigeria’s dominant political force, is now a house divided so severely that its very survival as a cohesive entity may depend on which of its “two governments” blinks first. The coming days will be decisive, testing not just the party’s internal structures but the very strength of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
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