Breaking: Wike-Backed PDP Announces New Chairman, Secretary as Party Elects NWC
- Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu have been elected as national chairman and national secretary of the PDP faction backed by Nyesom Wike
- Wike, identified as the national leader of the PDP, assured delegates that the party would contest the 2027 general elections
- Ex-Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, confirmed 2,035 delegates attended and said the party’s door of reconciliation would remain open after the convention
FCT, Abuja - The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has announced Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu as substantive national chairman and national secretary.
The duo emerged through a consensus alongside 19 other members of the party’s new National Working Committee (NWC) at the PDP’s 2026 national convention held at the velodrome of the Moshood Abiola Stadium on Sunday, March 29, 2026.
Source: Twitter
Prominent figures in attendance included former Jigawa state governor Sule Lamido, ex-Senate President Bukola Saraki, and former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi.
Wike assures party on 2027 elections
Addressing delegates, Wike, identified as the national leader of the party, said the PDP was on the path of healing and promised participation in the 2027 general elections.
“So many people have spoken here. Saraki has said, with Abba Moro, and they were asking, ‘Is the PDP going to contest the 2027 election at all?’ I have told Senator Saraki that, by the grace of God, the PDP will be on the ballot in 2027. We have seen the real convention, the convention that is being monitored by the electoral umpire. That is the convention that is recognised,” he said amid cheers from delegates.
Wike emphasised inclusiveness as the foundation for the party’s future, praising delegates for their resilience.
“I congratulate all of you who stood firm when the storm raged. You showed exemplary resilience when push came to shove. You refused to be downcast when those who pretended to be leaders of the party betrayed you disgracefully. Together, we are standing on the positive side of purpose and committed to the task of making Nigeria a truly prosperous country,” he added.
Mohammed calls for unity and renewal
National Chairman Mohammed told delegates that the PDP under his leadership would belong to all members. He urged party faithful to embrace inclusiveness as the party repositions itself ahead of 2027.
“Today, we choose a higher path. We choose inclusiveness over exclusion, unity over division, we choose renewal over decline. The PDP has not come here to mourn itself; the PDP has come here to renew itself. This convention is therefore not just about the election; this convention is about restoration, order, not just about position,” he said.
Mohammed described the convention as a moment of reflection and responsibility, following a period of disagreement and legal contestation within the party.
PDP: Door open for reconciliation
The Chairman of the convention planning committee, former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, said the number of delegates stood at 2,035 and assured that the party’s door of reconciliation would remain open after the convention.
The PDP has been embroiled in an internal leadership crisis, resulting in two factions. The Tanimu Turaki group, supported by Bauchi state Governor Bala Mohammed, claims leadership on one side, while the Wike-backed faction controls the other.
A convention held in Ibadan, Oyo state, in November 2025, sparked a series of legal battles. On 9 March, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld a Federal High Court ruling restraining the PDP from holding the Ibadan convention.
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that the PDP violated constitutional provisions guiding its convention. The Turaki faction subsequently approached the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment.
PDP to adopt Tinubu as presidential candidate
Previously, Legit.ng reported that a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has reportedly actively positioned itself to support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 elections.
The group opted not to field a typical opposition candidate.
Proofreading by James Ojo, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
