The internal crisis plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deepened as the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Friday dissolved the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) led by former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and Senator Ahmed Makarfi as Secretary.
The faction cited loss of credibility, moral authority, and constitutional alignment as reasons for the dissolution.
The announcement came during a meeting convened by Wike at his official residence in Life Camp, Abuja, where a new BoT was inaugurated.
At the meeting, the newly constituted Board urged full compliance with a recent Federal High Court ruling that halted the party’s planned national convention.
The session, presided over by the factional Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammad, formally introduced Senator Mao Arukwe Ohuabunwa from Abia State as the new BoT Chairman and Hon. Isah Dansidi from the North as Secretary.
Before the meeting entered a closed session, Muhammad explained that the reconstitution of the Board was part of efforts to restore discipline, order, and moral integrity to the PDP, lamenting that these values had been eroded under the previous leadership.
He accused the Wabara-led BoT of losing its moral balance, stressing that Wabara’s suspension by the Abia State chapter of the PDP for alleged anti-party activities made his continued leadership untenable.
“The Board that was meant to serve as the moral compass of our party became divided and ineffective. The credibility of that leadership was questioned, and its continued role in national advisory matters became impossible to sustain,” Muhammad stated.
He further blamed the tenure of the suspended National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, for the party’s moral decline and disregard for judicial authority, accusing him of shielding those who violated the party’s constitution.
“When any political party begins to disregard its own laws, it loses the very soul that holds it together. This was the painful reality we faced,” he said.
Muhammad commended concerned members who sought judicial intervention to save the PDP from collapse, noting that the recent Federal High Court judgment paved the way for the BoT’s reconstitution.
He described the ruling as “a wake-up call to return to our roots and reawaken the values that once made the PDP the pride of Africa.”
The Acting Chairman said the new BoT would serve as the “conscience and compass” of the PDP, assuring that its members were selected based on integrity and fairness, not factional loyalty.
“This is not a reward for loyalty; it is a sacred trust. Your voices must be voices of unity, your advice rooted in fairness, and your actions must inspire confidence in our collective future,” he stated.
Muhammad admitted that the party’s internal crisis began when it abandoned its zoning principle before the 2015 elections, allowing personal ambition to override fairness and equity.
He pledged that the new leadership would rebuild the PDP on the foundation of transparency, justice, and respect for court rulings.
“We will rebuild this party with transparency. We will respect court judgments and the rule of law. We will conduct our congresses with fairness and integrity. We will restore public trust and make the PDP once again the moral voice of Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
He stressed that party autonomy must still operate within constitutional boundaries, warning that “internal affairs cannot be a cover for impunity.”
Former governor of old Anambra State and PDP founding father, Senator Jim Nwobodo, also addressed the gathering, urging members to embrace reconciliation and unity.
“As one of the founding fathers and the oldest member of this family present here today, I know that PDP is a family where every member has a sense of belonging. My appeal is for the leadership to ensure that PDP remains the beacon of democracy in Nigeria. PDP is like the ANC of South Africa,” he said.
Nwobodo encouraged the new leadership to form a strong reconciliation committee to reach out to aggrieved members and those willing to return to the party, noting that many had already shown interest.
He praised Wike’s performance as FCT Minister and urged him to apply the same zeal to rebuilding the PDP.
“I entered Abuja after two years of being in Enugu, and I could hardly recognise the city. Abuja has changed. If you put that same energy into this party, PDP will be the party to beat,” he remarked.
The meeting ended with a seven-point communiqué, jointly signed by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa and Hon. Isah Dansidi. The new BoT reaffirmed its commitment to constitutional order, unity, and lawful conduct ahead of the forthcoming National Convention.
The communiqué described the PDP as “one indivisible, united, and democratic family committed to justice, equity, and progress” and directed all organs and officers to comply fully with the Federal High Court judgment delivered on October 31, 2025.
The Board commended the judiciary for upholding constitutional supremacy and called for a credible and inclusive National Convention, insisting that all pre-convention processes must strictly adhere to the party’s constitution, INEC guidelines, and the court’s ruling.
It cautioned against contempt of court, warning that any action taken outside the law would be null and void.
The communiqué further confirmed Senator Mao Ohuabunwa and Hon. Isah Dansidi as the new BoT Chairman and Secretary, replacing Senators Adolphus Wabara and Ahmed Makarfi, respectively.
The Board appreciated the former leaders for their service and wished them well.
It pledged to act as the conscience of the party, fostering fairness, justice, and unity while mediating among members to prevent divisions.
The BoT urged PDP members nationwide to work collectively for a successful National Convention that would consolidate the unity and credibility of the party.
“The Board of Trustees pledges to continuously uphold its sacred responsibility as the conscience of the PDP—speaking truth with fairness, guiding with integrity, and ensuring that our great Party remains a beacon of democracy and hope for the nation,” the communiqué stated.
