PDP crisis: Turaki-led NWC meets state chairmen, N’Assembly members Wednesday

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The future of the Peoples Democratic Party and efforts to stem high-profile defections will top discussions this week as the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee begins a crucial round of engagements with state chairmen, former governors, ex-ministers, lawmakers and other key stakeholders.

A member of the NWC, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, told The PUNCH on Monday that the meetings were designed to stabilise the opposition party amid deepening internal rivalry.

Confirming the development in a statement on Monday, the National Organising Secretary, Theophilous Shan, said the NWC had lined up a series of engagements with party leaders across the country.

PDP governors had earlier backed the Ibadan convention of November 16, which produced Turaki and other NWC members for a four-year term.

Despite this, Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, along with Mohammed Abdulrahman and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, continue to insist they remain the acting National Chairman and National Secretary.

Although governors facilitated a smooth handover from former National Chairman Umar Damagum to Turaki ahead of the expiration of Damagum’s tenure on December 9, Wike’s faction proceeded on Sunday to name Mohammed, Anyanwu and others into a 60-day caretaker committee.

Amid the confusion, the Turaki-led NWC will this week meet in Abuja with state chairmen, PDP caucuses in both chambers of the National Assembly, national ex-officio members, and forums of former governors, ex-ministers and past NWC members.

According to the meeting schedule released by Shan, the NWC will on Wednesday, December 10, meet with state chairmen, members of the House of Representatives and national ex-officio members.

The committee will also present a Certificate of Return to the party’s candidate for the June 20, 2026 Ekiti governorship election, Dr Oluwole Oluyede.

Meetings with former PDP governors, ex-ministers and past NWC members are slated for Tuesday, December 16, while senators are expected to meet with the NWC on Wednesday, December 17.

The engagements, Shan said, form part of the newly elected NWC’s effort to rebuild the party after the contentious 2025 national convention in Ibadan.

An NWC source said Turaki would use the interface to reassure stakeholders, discourage defections and outline plans to reposition the party.

“It is a series of meetings with leaders at all levels. We want to highlight the progress made so far, share our plans and appeal to everyone to remain in the PDP. The leadership will also address actions taken against those undermining the party,” he said.

Meanwhile, the NWC has set up the Osun State Governorship Appeal Panel to review grievances arising from the PDP primary ahead of the 2026 election. The panel, chaired by Turaki, will sit on Thursday, December 11.

In a separate development, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, and the South-East PDP caucus leader, Idu Igariwey, said they would not be attending Wednesday’s meeting.

Turaki had scheduled the meeting at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, through a notice signed by Shan. But Chinda, a Wike loyalist, told The PUNCH he received no invitation.

“I saw no invitation,” he said.

Igariwey also said, “Not yet, my brother,” when asked if he had been invited.

However, the PDP caucus leader in the House, Fred Agbedi, confirmed his attendance, saying members had been aware of the meeting since last week. Agbedi, who stayed in the party despite Governor Douye Diri’s recent defection to the APC, said preparations were ongoing.

Also confirming his participation, Mansur Soro, who represents Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency in Bauchi State, noted that the invitation “is open to all members.”

The party remains polarised, with Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed leading one bloc while Wike heads the other. The dispute escalated after the contested Ibadan convention, which was backed by an order of an Oyo State High Court but stalled twice by the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged breaches of the PDP constitution.

As both camps continue to lay claim to the party’s leadership, the PDP national secretariat has remained sealed by police to prevent a breakdown of law and order.

As of press time, the Deputy National Secretary, Richard Ihediwa, and the National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Shan, were unavailable for comment.

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