The election took place on Sunday, March 29, at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium and was conducted through a consensus arrangement
The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has elected Abdulrahman Mohammed as substantive National Chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary, alongside 19 other members of the party’s new National Working Committee (NWC), at its 2026 national convention held in Abuja.
The election took place on Sunday, March 29, at the Velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium and was conducted through a consensus arrangement.
Prominent party figures present at the convention included former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; and former Kaduna State Governor, Ahmed Makarfi.
Addressing delegates at the gathering, Wike, who was described as the national leader of the faction, said the healing process within the PDP had started and assured members that the party would take part in the 2027 general elections.
“So many people have spoken here. Saraki has said, with Abba Moro, and they were asking, ‘Is the PDP going to contest the 2027 election at all?’” Wike said.
“I have told Senator Saraki that, by the grace of God, the PDP will be on the ballot in 2027. We have seen the real convention, the convention that is being monitored by the electoral umpire. That is the convention that is recognised,” he added.
The former Rivers State governor said the future of the party must be built on inclusiveness and equal opportunity for all members.
He also commended delegates for remaining loyal despite the internal crisis that has troubled the party.
“I congratulate all of you who stood firm when the storm raged. You showed exemplary resilience when push came to shove. You refused to be downcast when those who pretended to be leaders of the party betrayed you disgracefully,” Wike said.
“You survived the taunts of the naysayers. Together, we are standing on the positive side of purpose and committed to the task of making Nigeria a truly prosperous country.”
In his acceptance speech, the newly elected National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, said the PDP under his leadership would be open to all members and stressed the need for unity as the party prepares for the next general election.
“Today, we choose a higher path. We choose inclusiveness over exclusion, unity over division, we choose renewal over decline,” he said.
“The PDP has not come here to mourn itself; the PDP has come here to renew itself. This convention is therefore not just about the election; this convention is about restoration, order, not just about position.”
“Distinguished delegates, this is not an official day. Today is a moment of reflection, a moment of responsibility, and above all, a moment of renewal. We gather here after a difficult session, a session of disagreement, legal contestation, a session that tested the strength and soul of this party,” he added.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee and former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, disclosed that 2,035 delegates took part in the convention.
He said the party’s reconciliation process would continue after the convention, adding that the PDP remained committed to resolving its internal disputes and strengthening unity ahead of the 2027 elections.
The party has been locked in a prolonged leadership crisis that led to the emergence of rival factions.
One faction, led by Tanimu Turaki and backed by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, has continued to lay claim to the party’s leadership.
The opposing camp is backed by Wike.
The crisis worsened after the controversial convention held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, in November 2025, which triggered a series of legal disputes over the leadership structure of the party.
On March 9, the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed the judgment of a Federal High Court restraining the PDP from conducting the Ibadan convention.
In a ruling delivered on March 23, a three-member panel of the appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to hear the matter.
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the PDP violated constitutional provisions guiding the conduct of its convention.
However, the Turaki-led faction has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the appellate court.
The move has set the stage for a prolonged legal battle over the leadership of the opposition party.
The outcome of the Abuja convention marks a fresh attempt by the Wike-backed faction to consolidate control of the PDP’s national structure, despite ongoing court cases and reconciliation efforts aimed at repositioning the party ahead of the 2027 general elections
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