The Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, has announced that it has taken over the national leadership of the party.
CityNews reports that the PDP BoT, in a statement on Thursday, signed by Wabara, said the step was taken based on the Supreme Court ruling of Thursday.
According to him, the judgment of the apex court left the PDP without a recognized leadership, and the BoT had to take over in order to avoid a leadership vacuum in the party.
The former lawmaker described the court ruling as an unpleasant judgment.
He argued that the Supreme Court, by its ruling, invalidated the November 2025 National Convention of the PDP held in Ibadan, Oyo State, which produced the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee of our Party.
Wabara added that the Supreme Court also upheld the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Umar Bature, and Kamaldeen Ajibade as National Secretary, National Organising Secretary and National Legal Adviser, respectively, from the Party.
According to him, the implication of the Supreme Court’s ruling is that all actions taken by Anyanwu, Bature and Ajibade, including the appointment of Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman, the composition of the National Caretaker Working Committee and the conduct and outcome of the March 29th, 2026, Convention in Abuja, are illegal, null and ab initio void.
He said since the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led as well as the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led Working Committees have been invalidated, the BoT has to take over the leadership of the PDP.
Wabara explained that the takeover is supported by the provisions of the PDP constitution.
The former Senate President added that an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), of the PDP will be summoned to, among other things, appoint an Interim National Working Committee to take charge of the National Secretariat of the party and pilot the affairs of the party at the national level so as to meet all the timeline in the Electoral Act, 2026 and ensure that the PDP fields candidates and also emerge victorious in all elective positions in the 2027 general elections.
Wabara praised Governor Bala Mohammed and Governor Seyi Makinde for their efforts towards stabilizing the PDP and called on all factions to unite for lasting peace in the interest of the party and Nigeria’s democracy.
The full statement reads: “It is with the utmost sense of duty and responsibility that the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) assumes leadership of our great party today, Thursday, 30th April, 2026 pursuant to the empowering provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (As amended in 2017).
“This constitutional intervention of the BoT is so as not to allow any leadership vacuum at the national level of our party following judgment of the Supreme Court.
“Sadly, the Supreme Court, today delivered an unpleasant judgment against our party in which it pronounced an invalidation of the 15th to 16th November 2025 National Convention of the PDP held in Ibadan, Oyo State, which produced the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee of our Party.
“While the Supreme Court invalidated the Ibadan Convention, it also in a unanimous decision of the five justices on the panel, upheld the suspension of Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature, Kamaldeen Ajibade as National Secretary, National Organizing Secretary and National Legal Adviser respectively from the Party.
“The implication of today’s judgment by the Supreme Court is that all actions taken by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Hon. Umar Bature and Barr. Kamaldeen Ajibade including the appointment of Abdulrahman Mohammed as Acting National Chairman, the composition of the National Caretaker Working Committee and the conduct and outcome of the March 29th, 2026 Convention in Abuja are illegal, null and ab initio void.
“The consequential invalidation of both the Abdulrahman Mohammed-led as well as the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led Working Committees directly places the statutory onus of leadership of our great party on the shoulders of the Board of Trustees (BoT) as the Second Highest Organ of the Party, pursuant to the express and unambiguous provision of Section 32 (5) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).
“Against this backdrop, the BoT hereby immediately assumes responsibility of the national working leadership of the PDP as immediate constitutional remedial steps to foster genuine reconciliation, salvage, stabilize and return the party to good political health.
“In the light of the foregoing an emergency meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC), pursuant to the provisions of Section 31 of the Constitution of the PDP will be summoned to, among other things, appoint an Interim National Working Committee to take charge of the National Secretariat of our Party and pilot the affairs of the Party at the national level so as to meet all the timeline in the Electoral Act, 2026 and ensure that the PDP fields candidates and also emerged victorious in all elective positions in the 2027 general elections.
“Consequently, all staff of the PDP are hereby directed to resume at the National Secretariat of the Party under the leadership of the BoT ahead of the appointment of the Interim National Working Committee.
“The BoT commends the courage, effort and resilience of our governors, Governor Bala Mohammed and Governor Seyi Makinde, the National Assembly caucus, the National Ex-officios, the Forum of PDP State Chairmen and State chapters, the Youth and Women Wings and other organs and bodies in the PDP for standing strong for the party at this trying time.
“The BoT therefore calls on all leaders and members of the party to jettison all personal and group interests and come together as one family in the overall interest of our Party, democracy and the wellbeing of millions of Nigerians whose hope are anchored on the PDP.
“The PDP has suffered enough; the painful victims of this unfortunate episode is the Nigerian people. The time has therefore come for us to make sacrifices, sheathe our swords and embrace genuine reconciliations for lasting peace and chart a new course for our party.”
