The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caretaker Committee, backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has shifted the party’s proposed national convention to March 29 and 30, while dissolving the South-West, North-West and Plateau State zonal committees in a move aimed at stabilising the party and repositioning it ahead of the 2027 elections.
The decision was announced on Tuesday in Abuja by the Caretaker Committee’s Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, following a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).
According to Mohammed, the adjustment became necessary after further internal consultations, even though the convention had earlier been slated for March 28 and 29.
“After careful consideration of certain factors, the date has been slightly adjusted for the convention to take place on the 29th and 30th of March,” he said, describing the resolutions reached at the meeting as far-reaching and critical to the party’s future.
In a decisive shake-up of party structures, Mohammed also announced the dissolution of the North-West, South-West and Plateau State zonal committees, explaining that caretaker committees would be appointed to oversee their affairs in the interim.
“The NEC working committee has equally dissolved the North-West, South-West and Plateau State zonal committees. Caretaker committees will be constituted soon, while the already approved timetable for ward, state and zonal congresses remains in force,” he added.
The caretaker committee said the steps were part of broader efforts to restore order, ensure fairness and promote inclusiveness within the party, especially as reconciliation talks continue among aggrieved stakeholders.
On the delay in unveiling the National Convention Planning Committee, Mohammed said the leadership was deliberately creating room to accommodate returning party members and reconcile contending interests.
“We want an all-inclusive convention that every member of the party will be happy with,” he said. “There is room for party faithful who have shown interest in returning to be co-opted into the convention planning process.”
Earlier, Acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed dismissed claims of division within the party, insisting that the PDP remained united under his leadership.
“There is no division in the PDP. We are working towards a peaceful, transparent and all-inclusive national convention to genuinely reposition the party,” he said, adding that all actions of the caretaker committee were in line with the PDP constitution and Nigeria’s electoral laws.
The latest developments come on the heels of a Federal High Court ruling in Ibadan, which last Friday nullified the PDP National Convention held on November 15, 2025, in Oyo State, and restrained Tanimu Turaki (SAN) and others from parading themselves as national officers of the party.
While PDP governors had earlier endorsed the Ibadan convention that produced Turaki and members of the National Working Committee for a four-year term, the Wike-aligned faction, led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu, maintained that they remained the legitimate Acting National Chairman and Secretary.
Following the judgment, the Wike-backed group welcomed the court’s decision, describing it as a validation of their position. In contrast, the Turaki-led NWC announced plans to appeal the ruling and pursue all available legal remedies.
With INEC declining to recognise either faction and multiple court cases underway, the PDP’s internal realignment continues, setting the stage for a high-stakes convention that could shape the party’s direction ahead of the 2027 general elections.
