PDP leadership dispute Wike faction rejects BoT takeover claim, insisting Abdulrahman Mohammed remains chairman amid Supreme Court interpretation row

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike on Friday, 1 May 2026, dismissed claims of a leadership vacuum within the party, escalating an internal dispute over the interpretation of a recent Supreme Court ruling and the legitimacy of competing leadership structures.

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The faction’s position was conveyed in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, who insisted that Abdulrahman Mohammed remains the legitimate National Chairman of the PDP despite conflicting interpretations of the court decision.

The development follows a declaration by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, which announced it had assumed control of the party’s national leadership, citing what it described as implications arising from a recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

The BoT had argued that the ruling effectively nullified key party structures and created a leadership vacuum, prompting what it described as an interim takeover to stabilise the party’s administration ahead of future political activities.

However, the Wike-aligned faction strongly rejected that interpretation, describing it as misleading and inconsistent with the actual contents of the judgment.

Jungudo Mohammed insisted that the ruling only addressed the validity of a disputed national convention and did not affect the current National Working Committee.

He maintained that there has never been any leadership vacuum within the party, stressing that the existing structure remains lawful, intact, and operational under Abdulrahman Mohammed as National Chairman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary.

The faction further accused rival interpretations of attempting to misrepresent the Supreme Court’s decision for political advantage, warning against what it described as deliberate misinformation aimed at creating confusion within the party.

Mohammed also disputed the authority of the BoT leadership cited in the takeover announcement, claiming that its tenure had expired and arguing that it lacks constitutional powers to assume control of the party’s national executive functions.

He referenced the party’s internal constitution, stating that the BoT does not have authority to dissolve or replace the National Working Committee under any circumstances.

The faction urged the media and the public to avoid describing the PDP as factionalised, insisting that such narratives do not reflect the party’s legal and administrative reality.

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As competing interpretations of the court ruling continue to deepen tensions within the PDP, both sides remain locked in a struggle over legitimacy, control, and constitutional authority within one of Nigeria’s major political parties.