Few hours after the Supreme Court invalidated the November 2025 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party held in Ibadan, Oyo State, the board of trustees of the party, led by Chief Adolphus Wabara announced the take over of the affairs of the party pending the appointment of an interim National Working Committee to run the affairs of the opposition party.
This was contained in a statement signed personally by the BoT Chairman, Adolphus Wabara on Thursday evening.
“It is with the utmost sense of duty and responsibility that the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) assumes leadership of our great party today, Thursday, 30th April, 2026 pursuant to the empowering provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“This constitutional intervention of the BoT is so as not to allow any leadership vacuum at the national level of our party following judgment of the Supreme Court.
“Sadly, the Supreme Court, today delivered an unpleasant judgment against our party in which it pronounced an invalidation of the 15th to 16th November 2025 National Convention of the PDP held in Ibadan, Oyo State, which produced the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee of our Party.
“While the Supreme Court invalidated the Ibadan Convention, it also in a unanimous decision of the five justices on the panel, upheld the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature, Kamaldeen Ajibade as national secretary, national organizing secretary and national legal adviser, respectively from the party,” the statement read in part.
The statement further noted that the implication of the Supreme Court judgment is that all actions taken by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature and Kamaldeen Ajibade, including the appointment of Abdulrahman Mohammed as acting National Chairman, the composition of the National Caretaker Working Committee and the conduct and outcome of the March 29th, 2026 convention in Abuja are illegal, null and ab initio void.
“The consequential invalidation of both the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led as well as the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led Working Committees directly places the statutory onus of leadership of our great party on the shoulders of the board of trustees as the second highest organ of the party, pursuant to the express and unambiguous provision of Section 32 (5) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017)” Wabara insisted.
“Against this backdrop, the BoT hereby immediately assumes responsibility of the national working leadership of the PDP as immediate constitutional remedial steps to foster genuine reconciliation, salvage, stabilize and return the party to good political health.
“In the light of the foregoing an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), pursuant to the provisions of Section 31 of the constitution of the PDP will be summoned to, among other things, appoint an Interim National Working Committee to take charge of the national secretariat of our party and pilot the affairs of the party at the national level so as to meet all the timeline in the Electoral Act, 2026, and ensure that the PDP fields candidates and also emerged victorious in all elective positions in the 2027 general elections”, the statement added.
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It urged all staff of the PDP to resume at the national secretariat of the party under the leadership of the BoT, ahead of the appointment of the Interim National Working Committee.
The BoT further commended the courage, effort and resilience of the PDP governors, the National Assembly caucus, the national ex-officios, the Forum of PDP State Chairmen and state chapters, the youth and women wings and other organs and bodies in the PDP for standing strong for the party at its trying time.
It called on all leaders and members of the party to jettison all personal and group interests and come together as one family in the overall interest of the Party, democracy and the wellbeing of millions of Nigerians whose hope are anchored on the PDP.
The statement observed that the PDP has suffered enough; stressing that the painful victims of the unfortunate episode is the Nigerian people.
It however, stated that the time has come to make sacrifices, sheathe “our swords and embrace genuine reconciliations for lasting peace and chart a new course for our party”.
