The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dissolved its state executives in Enugu, Delta, and Rivers states, and replaced them with caretaker committees, following the defection of the governors of the affected states from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The National Working Committee (NWC) announced the decision on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC), citing Section 29(2)(b) of the PDP Constitution (2025 as amended).
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In a statement posted on Facebook on Friday, the National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Shan, said the committees will serve for no more than 90 days.
Steve Oruruo will head the PDP caretaker committee in Enugu, Sylvester Monye for Delta, and Nname Ewor for Rivers.
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“The Committees are charged with the responsibility of running the affairs of the Party in their various States,” Mr Shan said, stressing they must act in line with the PDP Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the Nigerian Constitution. He congratulated the appointees and urged them to “uphold discipline and order” in their assignments.
Rivers’ case
The PDP decision on Rivers came a few days after Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers defected to the APC, a move that has created a leadership vacuum in the party.
Governor Fubara’s departure from the PDP follows months of political tension between him and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, who is now the FCT minister. Their rift—marked by legal disputes, a split of the state legislature into two factions and violent confrontations—crippled governance in the state and destabilised the PDP’s local machinery.
Broader shake-up in PDP
The governors of Enugu and Delta had earlier defected from the PDP to the APC, deepening fears about the party’s shrinking influence nationwide. The NWC’s latest move is seen as an attempt to restructure the PDP’s presence in the affected states and prevent further erosion of support.
The committees are expected to reconcile warring factions, rebuild local structures, and prepare for congresses that will elect new executives.
Despite the crisis, the PDP insists it remains committed to internal reform and strategic rebuilding ahead of the 2027 general elections.
