By Chika Eze, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed that its National Convention scheduled for Saturday, 15th, and Sunday, 16th November, in Ibadan, Oyo State, will proceed as planned.
The Chairman of the National Convention Organising Committee and Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, announced the decision on Thursday after a strategic meeting involving PDP Governors, the National Working Committee (NWC), the Board of Trustees (BoT), and other stakeholders in Abuja.
Fintiri stressed that the party remained united on the convention and would not be distracted by conflicting statements from aggrieved factions.
The clarification follows a statement issued by the suspended National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, and the PDP factional National Chairman, Abdurahman Mohammed, advising party members to boycott the Ibadan convention.
The faction had cited a subsisting Federal High Court order allegedly restraining the PDP from holding the convention and barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from supervising the election of new officers.
Earlier on Thursday, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, received the report of the reconciliation committee and expressed optimism that the PDP would overcome its internal challenges.
He described the disputes within the party as “self-inflicted” but insisted they were not insurmountable.
Wabara stated that all organs of the party, including the Governors’ Forum, NWC, and the BoT, had already agreed that the convention must go ahead, noting that only a clear, final directive from the courts could alter the plans.
He emphasized the need for strict adherence to the supremacy of the Supreme Court in guiding lower courts, cautioning against what he termed “conflicting orders that undermine established judicial precedence.”
Addressing concerns that the BoT’s intervention came too late, Wabara clarified that the board had been working behind the scenes for a long time but lacked the financial and structural capacity to enforce its positions without the support of other organs.
He maintained that the PDP’s internal disputes were driven largely by personal political interests, including alleged long-term plans by some actors to weaken the party now and take control ahead of the 2031 political cycle.
He assured Nigerians that, despite disagreements, all party stakeholders ultimately need the PDP as a strong opposition platform for democracy and national development.
According to him, the party remains committed to unity, discipline, and ensuring that its convention in Ibadan becomes a defining step toward repositioning the PDP for future electoral engagements.
With all major organs of the party aligned, preparations for the National Convention in Ibadan continue in full gear.