The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expelled the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, and the party’s embattled National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu
The decision was taken on Saturday during the party’s elective national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, following the adoption of a motion on alleged anti-party activities.
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The party, led by its National Chairman, Umar Damagun, also removed Mohammed Abdulrahman, the factional chairman aligned with Mr Wike’s camp.
Three of Mr Wike’s allies who challenged the holding of the convention in court, arguing that state congresses were not conducted in accordance with the PDP Constitution, were also expelled. They are Imo PDP Chairman Austine Nwachukwu, Abia PDP Chairman Amah Nnanna, and PDP South-south Zonal Secretary, Turnah George.
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Others affected include the National Organising Secretary, Umaru Bature; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; Mao Ohuabunwa, factional BoT chairman, and Dan Orbih from Edo State.
The expulsion notice was posted on the party’s official X handle a few hours into the convention
Reports say the motion for the expulsion was moved by a former National Vice Chairman of the PDP (South), Bode George, and seconded by the party’s chairman in Bauchi State, Samaila Buga.
The Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, put the motion to a voice vote..
With the expulsion, the crisis within the opposition party appears to be taking a new dimension.
While calls for the removal of some of these officials particularly Mr Wike had been on for years, the timing and circumstances surrounding the expulsion introduce new political implications.
Before now, the minister was a powerful force within the PDP despite serving in an APC-led administration.
He has accused the Damagum-led NWC of violating party principles and planning an illegitimate convention. For him, the struggle is about controlling the party’s structure ahead of 2027 having declared his support for a second term for APC’s President Bola Tinubu.
Since the 2023 general elections, the PDP has been engulfed in a series of internal disputes. Specifically, the party split into two factions after disagreeing over preparations for the national convention in which new leaders were expected to emerge to replace the current National Working Committee (NWC), led by Mr Damagum.
Mr Wike’s loyalists argue that the party violated its constitution by failing to conduct valid congresses. While Mr Damagun insisted that the convention will hold as scheduled nonetheless.
The disagreement, however, led to conflicting court orders. There are currently three subsisting judgements on the two-day convention.
On 31 October, James Omotosho, a judge of the Federal High Court, Abuja, halted the convention, referencing the absence of valid congresses.
He ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to monitor or supervise the exercise. The judgement came a few weeks after he refused an interim injunction sought by Messrs Nwachukwu, Nnanna, and George.
However, on 4 November A. L. Akintola, a judge of the Oyo State High Court, ordered the PDP to proceed with the convention and ordered INEC to monitor it.
Even so, barely a week after the last judgement, Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on 11 November, delivering a judgement in a suit brought by a former Jigawa governor, Sule Lamido, again stopped the convention and directed INEC not to recognise it.
On Friday, 14 November, just a few hours before the scheduled convention, Mr Lifu issued a final order halting the exercise until Mr Lamido was accommodated.
Despite the conflicting court judgements, the party led by Mr Damagum, insisted it would go ahead with the convention.
Basis for expulsion
In the expulsion notice, it was stated that the decision was taken in line with the PDP Constitution, which grants the National Convention supreme authority in all party matters, including discipline.
“WHEREAS by Articles 33(2) (1), (2) (j) (n) & (r) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Constitution 2017 (as amended), the National Convention of the Party shall have supremacy in all matters pertaining to the Party and all officers and organs of the Party including matters of discipline of officers and members;
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“WHEREAS it is important to underscore the fundamental principles that a political party is a voluntary organisation and members are expected to join it out of their volition as allowed by Section 40 of the Constitution of the FRN 1999 (as amended) and are to be bound by its fundamental principles and aspirations as expressed in its Constitution;
“WHEREAS the persons mentioned above have committed various breaches of the Party’s Constitution including supporting and canvassing votes for opposition,” the notice reads.
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