Supreme Court Ruling: BoT Takes Over Control Of PDP As Wike Insists Outcome Of Abuja Convention Was ‘Validated’

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) announced on Thursday that it has taken control of the party to avoid a leadership vacuum.

The BoT cited the Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling which, it noted, has affected the party’s leadership structure.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, who is the  Chairman of the BoT, announced this in a statement he issued in Abuja on Thursday.

‘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, April 30, 2026, pursuant to the empowering provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).

This constitutional intervention of the BoT is to prevent any leadership vacuum at the national level of our party following the judgment of the Supreme Court’ the statement said.

He also noted that the Supreme Court ruling was not clearly favourable to any of the parties to the dispute.

‘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, and Kamaldeen Ajibade as National Secretary, National Organising 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 29, 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 for the national working leadership of the PDP as an immediate constitutional remedial step to foster genuine reconciliation, salvage, stabilize, and return the party to good political health’ he said.

The statement also disclosed plans to set up a caretaker committee that will run the affairs of the party.

 “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 timelines in the Electoral Act, 2026, and ensure that the PDP fields candidates and also emerges victorious in all elective positions in the 2027 general election.

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 hopes are anchored on the PDP.

: The PDP has suffered enough; the painful victims of this unfortunate episode are the Nigerian people. The time has therefore come for us to make sacrifices, sheathe our swords, and embrace genuine reconciliation for lasting peace and chart a new course for our party’ Chief Wabara added.

In the meanwhile, FCT minister, Barrister Nyesom Wike in his reaction to the Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling has insisted that while the apex court invalidated the outcome of the PDP national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, between November 15 and November 16, 2025, that of March 29, 2026 in Abuja was however validated.

He also said intraparty conflict has ended in the PDP.

 ‘Today, the Supreme Court has brought to an end the so-called factions of the PDP. There is no more faction in the party. There is only one PDP.

The Supreme Court has validated our convention and set aside all claims to any parallel structure. What this means is that the PDP has come to stay as one united party.

The PDP is stable, united and ready to play its role effectively. What has happened today is a victory for the rule of law and internal democracy’ he said.

Recall that the Supreme Court  had on Thursday invalidated the outcome of the PDP national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, between November 15 and November 16, 2025.

There are two factions in the party, the one headed by Kabiru Turaki has Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State as their political leader while that of Mohammed Abdulrahman’s faction is Barrister Nyesom Wike.

In the Supreme Court ruling, three out of the five members of the panel declared the outcome of the national convention of the party held in Ibadan invalidated while two justices including Justice Sadiq Umar ruled that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the dispute being an internal affair of a political party.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice  Stephen Adah criticized the action of the Turaki’s faction for abuse of court processes noting that they had filed a fresh action in another court rather than appealing against the order to suspend its planned convention and provide nomination forms for a national chairmanship aspirant, Alhaji Sule Lamido-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08035023079,  08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you