The crisis within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new twist on Friday as a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, dissolved the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and replaced it with a new leadership structure. At a meeting …
PDP: Wike Faction Dissolves Wabara-led BoT, Elects Ohuabunwa as New Chairman
The crisis within the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new twist on Friday as a faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, dissolved the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and replaced it with a new leadership structure.
At a meeting held at Wike’s Life Camp residence in Abuja, the faction inaugurated a new BoT headed by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa from Abia State, with Hon. Isah Dansidi from the North as Secretary. The gathering also resolved to comply with a recent Federal High Court order halting the party’s planned national convention.
Presiding over the meeting, the factional acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammad, said the reconstitution was aimed at restoring discipline, order, and moral authority within the PDP, which he said had been eroded under previous leadership.
He accused the dissolved Wabara-led BoT of losing its moral balance, adding that Wabara’s suspension by the Abia State chapter for alleged anti-party activities rendered his leadership untenable.
“The Board that was meant to be the moral compass of our party became divided and ineffective,” Muhammad said. “Its credibility was questioned, and its continued role in national advisory matters became impossible to sustain.”
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Muhammad also blamed the suspended National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, for what he described as moral decline and disregard for judicial authority, accusing him of shielding members who violated the party’s constitution.
“When a political party begins to disregard its own constitution and laws, it loses the very soul that binds it together,” he added.
The acting chairman hailed party members who sought judicial intervention to “save the PDP from itself,” saying the court ruling paved the way for reform and a return to internal democracy.
READ ALSO: PDP Petitions IGP Over Injured Workers, Alleged Violent Invasion of Secretariat
“This judgement is a wake-up call to restore the values that once made the PDP the pride of Africa,” he said, pledging that the new BoT would act as “the conscience and compass” of the party.
Muhammad vowed to rebuild the PDP on the foundations of transparency, justice, and respect for the rule of law.
“We will rebuild this party with fairness and integrity. We will respect court judgements, conduct credible congresses, and restore public trust,” he said.
Nwobodo Preaches Reconciliation, Commends Wike’s Performance
The meeting was attended by one of the party’s founding fathers, Senator Jim Nwobodo, who urged members to prioritise reconciliation and unity.
“PDP is a family and must remain the beacon of democracy in Nigeria,” Nwobodo said. “Let us reach out to aggrieved members and rebuild the party’s strength.”
Commending Wike’s performance as FCT Minister, Nwobodo said the same commitment could reposition the PDP for victory.
“If you bring that same energy into rebuilding the PDP, it will once again be the party to beat,” he stated.
BoT Issues Communiqué, Reaffirms Unity and Rule of Law
At the end of the meeting, the newly inaugurated BoT issued a seven-point communiqué reaffirming its commitment to constitutional order, unity, and lawful conduct ahead of the next national convention.
The communiqué, jointly signed by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa and Hon. Isah Dansidi, declared the PDP as “one indivisible and democratic family” and directed all organs to comply fully with the Federal High Court judgment delivered on October 31, 2025.
It endorsed the conduct of a credible and inclusive national convention but insisted that all processes must align with the party’s constitution, INEC guidelines, and the court order. The Board also cautioned that any action taken in defiance of the judgment would be null and void.
While recognising the court’s ruling as superior to the interim order from the Oyo State High Court, the BoT advised that the planned convention be postponed pending the appeal’s determination.
The communiqué confirmed Ohuabunwa and Dansidi as the new Chairman and Secretary of the BoT, replacing Wabara and Makarfi, whose neutrality it said had been compromised.
The Board pledged to act as the conscience of the party by promoting justice, inclusivity, and harmony while mediating among stakeholders to prevent further divisions.
“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.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.
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