PDP Decries Wike’s Camp Caretaker Committee, Insists They Are Deepening Illegality

•Sets up Turaki-led appeal panel for Osun primary

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has decried the setting up of a national caretaker committee by a group in the party led by Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, describing it as an absurdity and the deepening of illegality.

In a statement by National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the party said the so-called national caretaker committee was “clearly designed to coordinate their personal political affairs”.

Ememobong said the committee would have passed unnoticed, just like the audience of their sympathy party, if they had not attempted to falsely cloak it in the name of PDP, a party that had duly expelled them, with certificates as evidence.

The statement said, “The activity they claim to have undertaken is one they clearly lack the authority to carry out, even if they were still members of the party.

“For the avoidance of doubt, all organs of our party, particularly the National Executive Committee and the Board of Trustees, remain intact and under the legitimate leadership of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN.

“These organs are led by dignified individuals, who cannot be procured or commodified in the manner that has become the signature modus operandi of this group of former members.”

PDP added, in the statement, “It is important to remind the public that Minister Wike, acting through his agents Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman and Senator Sam Anyanwu, filed a suit on 21st November 2025 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, before Honourable Justice J.O. Abdulmalik, seeking among other things, the nullification and non-recognition of the PDP Convention and its outcomes.

“Their application for an interim injunction was refused, while all parties were cautioned against taking actions that could render the court’s eventual judgment nugatory.

“By proceeding to announce a fictitious National Caretaker Committee, they have acted in clear contempt of the court and have fundamentally altered the status of the two plaintiffs in that suit.”

PDP stated, “This latest drama represents nothing but a further deepening of the trenches of illegality they have been digging since 2023 in their bid to politically incapacitate the PDP and obstruct its role as the main opposition party in Nigeria.

“Their absurdity has now graduated into a full-fledged tool in the ruling party’s playbook, weaponised by this Wike-led band of APC apologists.”

Meanwhile, National Working Committee (NWC) of PDP set up an appeal panel ahead of the Osun State governorship primary election.

PDP said the panel would consider appeals from the primary election with the aim of settling disputes.

A notice by National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Shan, named National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki as chairman of the panel, with Taofeek Arapaja as secretary, and 22 other members.

PDP said, “The NWC of our Great Party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), @OfficialPDPNig has appointed the following as members of the Osun State Governorship Appeal Panel to consider appeals arising from the conduct of the Governorship Primary Election for the upcoming 2026 Governorship Election in the State.

“The appeal is scheduled for Thursday, December 11, 2025 at Bauchi Governors Lodge, Tatari Ali House, behind ECOWAS Secretariat, Asokoro District, Abuja.”

Other members of the panel included Dr. Daniel Woyengikuro, Hamza Koshe, Ihediwa Nnabugwu, Isa Abubakar, Okechukwu Daniel, Shan, Ememobong, and Aribisala Idowu.

Also on the panel were Bara’u Shafi’I, Ogbu Anthonia Chinenyenwa, Emmanuel Ogidi, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, Bello Gwarzo, Francis Orogu, Ali Odefa, Umar Babangida, Obasi Elebe, Mark Ogbole, Nuhu Bajoga, Sharrif Abdullahi, Ojo Oke, and Onyia Ejiofor.

Emmanuel Ekpe will serve as Administrative Secretary, and work with Suleiman Usman.

“In carrying out this assignment, the panel is expected to be guided strictly by the PDP Constitution (2025 as amended), the Electoral Guidelines for Party Primary, and Electoral Act, 2022,” the notice added.