Four governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have arrived in Ibadan, Oyo State, as the party pushes forward with its national convention despite a Federal High Court order suspending the exercise.
The South-West chairman of the PDP, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, confirmed the presence of the governors of Bauchi (Bala Mohammed), Zamfara (Dauda Lawal), Adamawa (Ahmadu Fintiri), and Oyo (Seyi Makinde).
The PDP is currently split between factions loyal to Minister of the FCT Nyesome Wike and acting Chairman Umar Damagum.
The crisis escalated after former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido went to court, alleging he was denied the opportunity to purchase a nomination form for the national chairmanship.
On Friday, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the PDP to suspend the convention and barred INEC from supervising it until Lamido was allowed to contest.
The court emphasized the party’s duty to enable members to pursue leadership positions and mandated that Lamido be allowed to campaign before any convention proceeds.
This ruling came in the wake of a similar order by Justice Lifu on November 11, 2025, which also restrained the PDP from holding the convention.
Lamido’s lawyers argued that ignoring the court order would violate the party constitution and deny him his rights.
However, a conflicting order from the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan on November 3 permitted the convention to proceed and instructed INEC to monitor it.
Ajisafe, citing the Ibadan High Court ruling, insisted preparations were 98% complete and the convention would go on as planned.
Delegates from multiple states, including Lagos, FCT, Bauchi, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, and Delta, were already at the venue by Friday night.
Security was visibly tight, with an Armoured Personnel Carrier stationed at the entrance.
Adamawa PDP Chairman Hamza Madagali also visited the venue to assess readiness.
Sources within INEC confirmed that the commission would not monitor the convention, citing adherence to the FCT High Court ruling.
Although a press statement was initially prepared to clarify its position, it was later withdrawn.
Sule Lamido, speaking on Channels TV Politics Today, blamed the crisis on PDP governors, saying that he could not attend the convention without undermining the court order that protected his rights.
Lamido accused the governors of seeking a party they could control, while singling out Governor Seyi Makinde as the only one acting honorably.
Party chieftain Bode George dismissed claims of a crisis and defended the convention, accusing Lamido of missing the official form collection deadline.
Conversely, Wike called on the party to respect the Federal High Court ruling, emphasizing that an ex parte order from Ibadan could not override a substantive judgment.
The PDP’s Board of Trustees (BoT) had set up a reconciliation committee, which recommended postponing the convention until all aggrieved parties were accommodated.
Despite the advice, the NWC and the PDP Governors’ Forum pressed ahead.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki warned that proceeding under current conditions could irreparably damage the party and recommended forming an all-inclusive caretaker committee.
The party is operating under two rival factions, raising concerns about its stability ahead of the 2027 elections.
Governors Bala Mohammed, Makinde, and Muftwang accused Wike of destabilizing the party, while the NWC defended its disciplinary actions against some officers accused of taking instructions from Wike.
A BoT report highlighted deep mistrust between the governors and the NWC, citing cancelled state congresses, shifting loyalties, and ambitions for 2027 as major sources of conflict.
It urged adherence to party supremacy, constitutional discipline, and the formation of a caretaker committee, warning that conflicting court orders could prevent INEC from monitoring the convention.
Despite these warnings, the PDP went ahead with the Ibadan convention, leaving questions about its internal cohesion and the impact on the party’s 2027 election prospects.
