Four governors of the Peoples Democratic Party arrived in Ibadan on Friday as the party moved ahead with its national convention, ignoring a subsisting Federal High Court ruling halting the exercise.
Their arrival signaled a strong push by the governors’ bloc to show solidarity with the Damagum-led leadership, despite the heated legal and political tussle dragging the party into deeper crisis.
The governors — Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Dauda Lawal of Zamfara, Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, and Seyi Makinde of Oyo were all sighted in the Oyo State capital as preparations for the convention intensified.
The development comes amid conflicting court decisions.
While the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered an immediate suspension of the convention, a High Court in Ibadan had earlier granted the party permission to proceed, creating confusion over which ruling should take precedence.
PDP leaders, however, appear to be leaning on the Ibadan order.
South-West PDP Chairman, Kamorudeen Ajisafe, insisted that the party was not aware of any fresh ruling stopping the event.
He maintained that the convention would go on, saying preparations had reached “98 per cent completion” and that nothing would derail the process.
Delegates from several states began arriving at the convention venue on Friday night. Drummers, party faithful, and state officials were seen moving in groups as final arrangements were wrapped up.
Security operatives, including an Armoured Personnel Carrier positioned at the entrance, were also on ground.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission has reportedly decided not to monitor the convention, citing its commitment to abide by the court order from Abuja.
Senior officials of the commission hinted that INEC would stay away until the legal issues were resolved.
Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, whose suit triggered the Abuja court’s ruling, maintained that the party must obey the judgment before proceeding.
Lamido accused PDP governors of fueling the crisis, claiming that many of them had abandoned the party’s founding principles.
On the other hand, PDP chieftain Bode George dismissed the claims of crisis and faulted Lamido for approaching the court.
He argued that the timelines for obtaining and returning nomination forms were clearly stated, insisting that Lamido failed to meet the deadlines.
The situation became more heated when the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, insisted that the Abuja ruling was a substantive judgement, unlike the ex parte order from the Ibadan High Court.
Wike argued that the party risked undermining the law by proceeding with the convention.
Meanwhile, calls for calm and reconciliation have intensified.
The South-South Zonal Secretary, George Turna, and the Forum of PDP State Chairmen urged the governors and the National Working Committee to suspend the convention and adopt the recommendations of the reconciliation committee set up by the party’s Board of Trustees.
According to them, the processes leading to the Ibadan convention did not align with the party’s constitution or the Electoral Act.
They said the committee’s report had confirmed widespread irregularities in the buildup to the exercise, warning that proceeding would only worsen internal divisions.
Stakeholders across the party have raised concerns that the lingering crisis may further weaken the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
POLITICS NIGERIA earlier reported that Former Senate President Bukola Saraki warned that ignoring court orders and reconciliation efforts could cause irreparable damage, suggesting the formation of a caretaker committee to stabilise the party.
Despite the warnings, four PDP governors and a large section of the National Working Committee remain in Ibadan, determined to hold the convention as scheduled.
With parallel factions now operating from different power centres, the party appears headed into one of its most turbulent weekends in years.
