By Abiola Olawale
The internal crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has continued to take different twists and turns as the faction backed by Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike is moving forward with its scheduled National Convention in Abuja.
Despite a series of conflicting court orders and a rival convention held late last year by a competing bloc, the Wike-aligned National Caretaker Working Committee, led by Muhammed Abdulrahman, insisted that the National convention is holding today, Sunday, March 29, 2026.
According to the faction, today’s gathering is the only legitimate path toward “restoring order” in the party.
The publicity secretary of the caretaker committee, Jungudo Mohammed, told journalists at a news conference in Abuja that the party is ready to proceed with the convention, having complied with all legal and party requirements.
Mohammed stated: “The National Caretaker Working Committee (NCWC) has worked tirelessly to ensure that this convention is not only credible and transparent but also inclusive and reflective of the collective aspirations of our members across the country. All necessary arrangements have been concluded to guarantee a smooth, peaceful, and successful exercise.
“We wish to assure all party faithful and the general public that this convention is being conducted in full compliance with the constitution of our party and in line with all relevant laws. The PDP remains a law-abiding institution, committed to strengthening democracy in Nigeria.
“On recent developments, including attempts by certain individuals to disrupt this process, we urge all members to remain calm and focused. The party has consistently extended the hand of reconciliation, and that door remains open. However, we will not allow the progress and stability of our great party to be undermined.”
Similarly, Wike had maintained that the convention would go ahead as scheduled. The Minister added that efforts to reconcile aggrieved members will continue after the convention.
The minister dismissed the appeal filed at the Supreme Court by the Tanimu Turaki group, noting that it does not affect the convention.
Speaking after inspecting the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Velodrome, the convention venue in Abuja, on Friday night, Wike explained that reconciliation is a continuous process.
The minister emphasised that the convention will proceed, while efforts to resolve internal disputes will continue afterwards.
“There is room for accommodation. The PDP is a very large party. Look at the umbrella, it is wide enough to accommodate everyone.
“I have always said that in any group, there will be grievances. You cannot expect that in a family of two or three people, everyone will always be satisfied, let alone a party with millions of members.
“There will always be a few who are not happy. We have agreed to sit down with them, understand their concerns, and see how we can accommodate them. What is most important is the overall interest of the party.”
On the zoning arrangement, the minister confirmed that positions have already been allocated across regions.
“We have already zoned our positions. Every zone has its own slots. The presidency has been zoned to the South, while the chairmanship is zoned to the North. We believe this consensus arrangement will make the process easier.
“For the first time, the PDP is presenting a unified front, rather than the usual ‘unity list’ that often reflects internal divisions. There are no factions; everyone has agreed on the direction we are taking.”
