Jimmy Arch
A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, dissolved the Board of Trustees (BoT) led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and Senator Ahmed Makarfi as Secretary on Friday, November 7, 2025, citing a loss of moral authority, credibility, and constitutional alignment. This was just the latest dramatic turn in the PDP’s crisis.
This came after Wike hosted a meeting at his official Life Camp residence in Abuja to inaugurate a new Board of Directors. The Board’s restoration, according to Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammad, the PDP’s factional Acting National Chairman, is part of ongoing attempts to restore discipline, order, and moral direction within the party, which had been undermined under previous leadership.
Muhammad praised the concerned party members’ initiative in seeking legal recourse to “save the PDP from itself,” claiming that it resulted in the recent Federal High Court ruling that cleared the path for the BoT’s restoration. According to him, the court ruling serves as a reminder to go back to our origins and rekindle the principles that once made the PDP the pride of Africa.
Muhammad emphasized that its members were selected on the basis of honesty and equity rather than party loyalty, promising that the newly established Board of Directors will operate as a symbol of rebirth and the PDP’s conscience and compass. This was a sacred trust, not a payment for allegiance. Your acts must instill faith in our shared future, your words must be ones of solidarity, and your counsel must be based on justice.
He acknowledged that the party’s internal disintegration started when it abandoned its zoning tenet prior to the 2015 elections, enabling individual ambition to triumph over equity. He stated that the new leadership was committed to rebuilding the PDP on the principles of justice, openness, and compliance with court rulings.
They will restore the party in a transparent manner while upholding the rule of law and judicial rulings. They will act honorably and fairly during our congresses. We shall rebuild public confidence and establish the PDP as Nigeria’s democratic moral voice once more.
Muhammad also insisted that party autonomy must continue to function within the bounds of the constitution, saying the PDP could no longer use internal issues as a justification for impunity. The constitutional order must continue to govern internal affairs. Lawlessness cannot be equated with party autonomy. If the party doesn’t change, it will become irrelevant.
Wabara’s suspension by the Abia State chapter of the party for alleged anti-party activities made his continued leadership untenable, he said, accusing the Wabara-led BoT of losing the moral balance expected of that honorable institution. The Board that was supposed to serve as our party’s moral compass became disjointed and ineffectual. That leadership’s legitimacy was seriously questioned, and it was no longer able to maintain its involvement in national advisory affairs.
Muhammad further accused Ambassador Umar Damagum of putting convenience over the rule of law and shielding those who broke the party’s constitution, which he said was the reason for the party’s moral deterioration and disrespect for the judiciary. Any political party loses the fundamental essence that keeps it together when it starts to flout its own laws and constitution. This was the harsh truth we had to deal with,” he said.
Muhammad also witnessed the official appointment of Hon. Isah Dansidi from the North as Secretary and Senator Mao Arukwe Ohuabunwa, a former senator from the Abia North Senatorial District, as the new Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Senator Jim Nwobodo, a former governor of old Anambra State and one of the PDP’s founding fathers, was also present at the gathering. He urged members to embrace reconciliation and turn the party back into the powerful political force it once was.
As the party’s oldest member and one of its founding fathers, Nwobodo claimed to have understood that the PDP is a family and a party where all of its members feel included. He urged everyone, but especially our party’s leadership, to make sure the PDP continued to be Nigeria’s guiding light of democracy. In light of the fact that many former stalwarts and resentful members had already expressed a desire to return, he urged the new leadership to organize a robust reconciliation committee to contact them.
He asked Wike to use the same vigor in rebuilding the party and praised him for his performance as FCT Minister. Nwobodo expressed optimism that the PDP might regain its leading role in Nigerian politics with cooperation and resolve.
Ahead of the upcoming National Convention, the newly reconstituted BoT published a seven-point communiqué at the conclusion of the meeting, restating its commitment to constitutional order, unity, and legitimate conduct. Senator Mao Ohuabunwa and Hon. Isah Dansidi jointly signed the statement, which underlined that the PDP is still one indivisible, united, and democratic family that is steadfastly devoted to the principles of justice, equity, and progress. It also acknowledged the legitimacy of all of the party’s constitutionally established institutions.
It commended the judiciary for maintaining constitutional supremacy and the rule of law and instructed all organs and offices to guarantee complete and prompt adherence to the Federal High Court’s October 31, 2025, ruling.
No party organ should act in contempt of court, the BoT warned, adding that any action taken outside the law would be void. The BoT also endorsed the conduct of a credible and inclusive National Convention, but emphasized that all pre-convention processes must strictly adhere to the party’s constitution, INEC guidelines, and the court judgment.
Although the Board reiterated that the Federal High Court’s ruling is still superior to the Oyo State High Court’s interim order, it suggested that the proposed National Convention be put on hold while the appeal is being decided out of caution and respect for the legal system.
The statement also revealed that Senators Adolphus Wabara and Ahmed Makarfi, who were accused of compromising their impartiality, had been replaced as Chairman and Secretary, respectively, by Senator Mao Ohuabunwa and Hon. Isah Dansidi. The Board wished them well and expressed gratitude for their previous contributions to the party. Additionally, it promised to serve as the party’s conscience, advancing justice, fairness, inclusivity, and internal peace while mediating disputes between interested parties to avoid polarizing trends.
The factional BoT emphasized that true reconciliation is still the cornerstone of long-term peace and stability and called on members to behave with maturity, respect for one another, and a shared dedication to the PDP’s unity and advancement. In order to strengthen the party’s unity and legitimacy, it urged all PDP leaders, members, and supporters in Nigeria and abroad to band together and work cooperatively toward a successful National Convention. The factional BoT promised to consistently fulfill its solemn duty as the PDP’s conscience, which includes telling the truth fairly, directing with integrity, and making sure the party continues to be a ray of democracy and hope for the country.
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