Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu have emerged as the substantive National Chairman and National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), respectively, under a faction backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The duo, alongside 19 other members of the National Working Committee (NWC), were elected by consensus at the party’s 2026 national convention held at the velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium in Abuja on Sunday.
Prominent figures at the convention included former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi, among others.
Addressing delegates, Wike, widely regarded by his supporters as a national leader of the party, declared that the PDP had begun a process of healing after months of internal crisis.
He assured members that the party would participate in the 2027 general elections.
According to him, the convention held in Abuja was the legitimate gathering recognised by the electoral authorities, drawing loud applause from delegates.
He stressed that the future of the PDP must be anchored on inclusiveness and equal opportunity for all members, while commending delegates for their resilience during the party’s turbulent period.
Wike also expressed confidence that the party would reclaim its mandate, praising members who remained steadfast despite internal divisions and external criticism.
In his acceptance remarks, Mohammed pledged to run an inclusive leadership, urging party members to embrace unity as the PDP repositions for the 2027 elections.
He described the convention as a turning point for renewal rather than decline, noting that the party was focused on restoration and rebuilding.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Convention Planning Committee and former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, disclosed that 2,035 delegates attended the exercise. He added that reconciliation efforts would continue even after the convention.
The PDP has been grappling with a prolonged leadership crisis that split the party into two factions. One faction is led by Tanimu Turaki and backed by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, while the other is aligned with Wike.
The dispute intensified following a controversial convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November 2025, which triggered a series of legal battles.
On March 9, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld a Federal High Court ruling that restrained the party from conducting the Ibadan convention.
In a subsequent judgment delivered on March 23, Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam ruled that the PDP breached constitutional provisions governing its convention process.
The Turaki-led faction has since approached the Supreme Court to challenge the decision.
(Channels Tv)
