ABUJA — The internal crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) reached a boiling point on Monday, May 4, 2026, as the faction loyal to Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, appointed Kabiru Turaki (SAN) as the chairman of a new 13-member interim National Working Committee (NWC). The decision was ratified during the group’s 103rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja, representing a direct attempt to preserve the faction's leadership structure following a major legal setback.
On Thursday, April 30, 2026, the Supreme Court nullified the results of the PDP national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025. That convention had originally produced Turaki as the substantive national chairman, but the apex court ruled that the gathering violated existing court orders, effectively stripping the Turaki-led NWC of its legal recognition. In response to the vacuum created by the judgment, the Makinde-led bloc invoked Section 31 of the PDP Constitution to establish this interim committee, securing the signatures of two-thirds of their NEC members.
The newly constituted interim team is tasked with steering the affairs of the Makinde-led wing and organizing a fresh, legally sound national convention. Alongside Turaki, the 13-member committee includes several high-profile stakeholders, state governors, and members of the National Assembly caucus who remain aligned with the Oyo governor. The meeting, which commenced at 2:00 pm on Monday, underscored the deep-seated divisions within the party as it struggles to navigate conflicting judicial outcomes and internal power struggles.
The appointment of an interim NWC further solidifies the split within Nigeria’s main opposition party. While the Makinde faction moves to regroup, a rival camp continues to claim it holds the authentic leadership of the PDP. With two parallel leadership structures now claiming legitimacy, the PDP faces a significant existential threat that leaves its role as a viable opposition in the 2027 electoral cycle in serious doubt.
How do you think this deepening split will affect the PDP's ability to present a united front for the 2027 general elections?
