PDP Faction Fixes March 28-29 for National Convention Amid Leadership Tussle

In a move aimed at consolidating its grip on the party’s structures, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scheduled its national convention for March 28 and 29, 2026, in Abuja. The convention is set to elect a new National Working Committee (NWC) and other statutory organs, as the opposition party grapples with ongoing internal divisions.

This development was revealed in a communiqué issued at the conclusion of the 105th meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), held on Monday in Abuja. The document, jointly signed by the National Chairman of the National Caretaker Working Committee, Abdulrahman Muhammed, and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, outlined the party’s roadmap towards the elective event.

“NEC further approved and confirmed March 28 and 29, 2026, as the date for the PDP National Convention, to be held at Abuja for the purpose of electing members of the National Working Committee and other statutory organs of the Party,” the communiqué stated in part.

The faction, reportedly backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has been at the center of the PDP’s protracted leadership crisis. Sources indicate that the decision follows a recent court judgment that reaffirmed the Abdulrahman-led NWC’s authority over the party’s affairs. This ruling has emboldened the group to proceed with congresses at various levels, including ward congresses in February 2026, local government congresses also in February, and state congresses in March 2026, paving the way for the national convention.

As earlier reported by NaijaChoice News, the PDP has been embroiled in a fierce power struggle, with factions clashing over control of the party’s machinery ahead of the 2027 general elections. The crisis escalated last year when disputes over the national chairmanship led to multiple court interventions, splitting the party into rival camps.

The Wike-backed faction’s announcement has sparked reactions across political circles, with some analysts viewing it as a strategic bid to position allies in key positions. “This convention could reshape the PDP’s future, but it risks deepening the divide if reconciliation efforts fail,” a political commentator in Abuja told NaijaChoice News.

Meanwhile, the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and the National Caretaker Committee have reiterated their commitment to unity and adherence to court rulings. Efforts to bridge the gap between the factions are ongoing, with calls for dialogue to prevent further fragmentation.

NaijaChoice News understands that the convention’s timing coincides with similar preparations by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which has also slated activities around the same period, heightening the political atmosphere in the country.

Stakeholders within the PDP have urged all members to prioritize the party’s interests over personal ambitions. As the countdown to March begins, all eyes are on Abuja to see if this convention will heal old wounds or open new ones in Nigeria’s largest opposition party.