Fractious PDP Convention: Power Struggles and Hidden Deals Stall Opposition Party’s Revival

The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) since its contentious 2023 Special Convention and presidential primary has deepened, leaving many Nigerians convinced that the country’s main opposition party remains politically incapacitated.

The party’s long-awaited national elective convention, scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State, has now hit serious turbulence, as two opposing factions continue to assert competing claims over the PDP’s leadership and direction.

Background of the Crisis

The tenure of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Prof. Iyorchia Ayu is set to expire in December. However, Ayu’s suspension in 2023, stemming from a bitter clash between the G5 governors led by Nyesom Wike and the faction loyal to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, set off a chain of disputes that remain unresolved.

The G5 governors, Wike, Seyi Makinde, Okezie Ikpeazu, Samuel Ortom, and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, had insisted that the national chairmanship and presidential ticket should not both remain in the North. Although Ayu’s resignation was expected to calm tensions, Atiku’s loss in the presidential election reignited conflicts over succession, ultimately allowing Ambassador Iliya Umar Damagum to assume the role of acting national chairman.

Renewed Tensions Over the Ibadan Convention

Plans for the Ibadan convention have exposed new fractures. Analysts warn that unless the party adopts a neutral caretaker committee, similar to the 2016–2017 Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led committee that resolved its past leadership crises—the PDP risks further disintegration.

Between 2017 and 2025, shifting interests, personal ambitions, and behind-the-scenes bargaining have produced widespread distrust within the party. Several proposals for resolving the stalemate appear to be driven more by personal political calculations than unity.

Competing Ambitions

Within the pro-convention bloc aligned with Damagum, major political actors have formed strategic alliances:

Governor Seyi Makinde is believed to be nurturing a 2027 presidential ambition, which would also strengthen his influence over Oyo State’s political succession.

Governor Bala Mohammed supports rotating the presidential ticket to the South, but insiders say his preferred candidates include Goodluck Jonathan or Peter Obi—moves that could position him as a potential running mate.

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri is also rumored to be eyeing the vice-presidential slot.


These competing ambitions influenced the governors’ eventual endorsement of former Minister of Special Duties, Saminu Turaki, as consensus candidate for national chairman, after earlier proposals such as Senator Ibrahim Shekarau and former Jigawa governor Sule Lamido were rejected for being “too independent-minded.”

Legal Battles and Parallel Plans

The crisis escalated when Sule Lamido obtained a court order stopping the November 15 convention. In response, the faction led by Abdulrahman Muhammed—aligned with Wike—insisted that the Ibadan convention was illegal and announced a suspension of the exercise. The group is reportedly planning a parallel convention and believes the courts will subsequently invalidate the Ibadan gathering.

A PDP NWC member told The Guardian that Wike’s faction views the upcoming events as “a battle to the finish,” warning that dramatic political shifts may unfold in the coming weeks.

Official Party Position

Despite mounting legal challenges and internal dissent, the PDP leadership under Damagum insists the convention will proceed as scheduled.

National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba reiterated that the Ibadan convention remains unchanged and accused the ruling APC of attempting to derail the process. He promised a “credible and peaceful” convention and thanked party members for their continued support.

What Lies Ahead for PDP?

Delegates will depart Ibadan after the convention ends on Sunday. But whether the PDP can emerge from this turbulent period as a united and competitive national force remains uncertain. With rival factions entrenched and the courts now involved, the party’s future hangs in the balance.