PDP Leadership Moves to Expel Wike as Party Crisis Deepens Ahead of Convention

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is facing renewed internal turmoil as the National Working Committee (NWC), led by acting chairman Umar Damagum, reportedly moves toward expelling the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from the party. Senior officials revealed that the decision, now gaining traction among top figures, may be formalized if the ongoing reconciliation effort led by the Adolphus Wabara-headed Board of Trustees (BoT) fails to bridge the divisions within the party.

A top PDP source disclosed that the committee’s report, expected on Tuesday, will determine whether the minister and his loyalists remain in the party. “If reconciliation fails, the decision to expel Wike and his camp will likely be taken at the convention,” the source said, adding that Wike’s open support for the APC ahead of the 2027 elections has made his continued membership untenable.

Party insiders confirmed that consensus within the Damagum-led NWC has been building for weeks, with many members describing expulsion as the “last resort” after repeated peace efforts collapsed. Analysts argue that the move is long overdue, given the deepening crisis that has split the NWC into factions since the 2023 general elections.

Meanwhile, the faction loyal to Wike has filed a petition before the National Judicial Council (NJC) against Justice A. L. Akintola of the Oyo State High Court. The group, led by Imo State PDP chairman Austin Nwachukwu, accused the judge of judicial misconduct for granting an ex parte order allowing the PDP to proceed with its November 15–16 national convention in Ibadan. The petitioners said the ruling contradicted a subsisting order of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had earlier halted the convention pending the resolution of disputes over procedural irregularities.

In the petition submitted on November 5, the Wike faction alleged “judicial recklessness” and urged the NJC to investigate Justice Akintola for issuing an order that effectively countered a decision of a court of coordinate jurisdiction. They warned that such conflicting rulings could erode public confidence in the judiciary and called for swift disciplinary action.

Despite the controversy, Justice Akintola on Monday reaffirmed his earlier directive permitting the PDP to proceed with the convention, instructing the party to strictly follow its approved guidelines and schedules. The case has been adjourned to Wednesday for further hearing.

Former PDP National Secretary Ibrahim Tsauri dismissed attempts by the Wike faction to stop the convention, asserting that the court’s latest ruling has cleared the way for the event. He maintained that the Damagum-led NWC remains the party’s legitimate leadership. “The national convention will hold, new leaders will emerge, and soon, many of those who left for the APC will return,” Tsauri said, expressing optimism about the PDP’s resurgence ahead of the next general election.