The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party deepened at the weekend as the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, rejected the expulsion of several prominent members announced at the party’s national convention in Ibadan.

The Ibadan convention, attended by over 3,000 delegates from across the country, proceeded on Saturday despite conflicting court orders, sparking what observers describe as a direct challenge to Governor Seyi Makinde’s growing influence within the party.

A Federal High Court in Abuja had, on Friday, ordered the PDP to suspend the convention and restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring it.

Delivering judgment in a suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that Lamido was unjustly denied the opportunity to obtain a nomination form to contest for national chairman. He held that the PDP violated its constitution by shutting out qualified aspirants.

As a consequence, Justice Lifu directed the party to halt the convention until Lamido is allowed to obtain nomination forms, mobilise supporters, and campaign.

This ruling reinforced an earlier one issued on November 11, 2025, also by Justice Lifu, restraining the PDP from holding the convention, as well as an October 31 ruling by Justice James Omotosho, which similarly halted the exercise.

However, the Oyo State High Court in Ibadan granted a conflicting order permitting the convention to proceed. Justice Ladiran Akintola authorised INEC to monitor the exercise following an ex parte motion by a PDP member, Folahan Adelabi.

Despite the court disputes, the convention went ahead, during which a motion moved by former Board of Trustees Chairman, Chief Bode George, led to the expulsion of Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, ex-South-South Vice Chairman Dan Orbih, and others.

But key party figures loyal to Wike immediately rejected the expulsions.

Abdulrahman Mohammed, named Acting National Chairman by the Wike-led faction after the suspension of former National Chairman Umar Damagum, dismissed the Ibadan gathering as “a violation of a valid court order.”

“What happened in Ibadan was not a convention,” Mohammed said on Sunday. “It is laughable that those who violated court orders are talking about expulsion. They had no such powers.”

Umar Bature, former National Organising Secretary, also said all actions taken in Ibadan were “illegal,” vowing to remain in office until the end of his tenure on December 8, 2025.

The Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, went further, arguing that only 17 states had their delegates accredited, thereby rendering the convention “invalid.”

He urged Governor Makinde to apologise and work with stakeholders to rebuild the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Meanwhile, the PDP Southwest Zonal Caucus lauded Governor Makinde for “rescuing the party from aggressors.” Zonal Publicity Secretary, Chief Sanya Atofarati, said the successful convention had restored confidence in the PDP.

Atofarati praised the newly elected National Working Committee led by former Minister Kabiru Turaki, calling them “capable of repositioning the party for victory in 2027.”

Four state chapters, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Jigawa, and one other, publicly disowned the Ibadan convention.

The Rivers State PDP applauded INEC for boycotting the event, calling it “a victory for democracy.” Publicity Secretary Kenneth Yowika said the convention was a “sham” that disregarded two valid court judgments.

Similarly, the Akwa Ibom PDP condemned the meeting as “ill-fated and unlawful,” praising INEC for respecting the rulings by Justices Omotosho and Lifu.

In Jigawa, the party chairman, Babandi Gumel, denied sending delegates, insisting that “impostors” attempted to misrepresent the state chapter. He reaffirmed support for Sule Lamido’s right to contest for national chairman.

Founding PDP member and former presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim warned that the crisis poses a threat to Nigeria’s democracy. He lamented that the party has drifted from its foundational principles of inclusion and consensus.

“Inclusion, not exclusion, is the tradition of the PDP,” he said, urging urgent reconciliation to “save the party and save Nigeria’s democracy.”

Chief Bode George dismissed claims that only 17 states participated in the convention, insisting that all states and the FCT were represented. He urged Wike to “man up and join the APC,” saying the PDP had “helped him by expelling him.”

The ruling All Progressives Congress also mocked the PDP crisis. APC Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, described the opposition’s turmoil as evidence of “persistent leadership failure.”

While saying the APC would prefer a functional opposition, he added sarcastically that the ruling party was willing to “undertake a crash programme” on party management for the PDP.

“We don’t even know who to speak with in the PDP,” he said, citing the multiple factions claiming legitimacy.