A faction of Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has instructed its members to disregard a directive dissolving the elected state executive committees in Ogun, Ekiti, and Ondo states, calling the move illegal and counterproductive to ongoing reconciliation efforts.
The statement, issued on Saturday by Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the NWC faction led by Tanimu Turaki, described the purported dissolution as an invalid attempt to exacerbate internal divisions. The notice, Ememobong asserted, “is null, void and of no effect whatsoever.” He urged state chapter officials, local government and ward executives, and the public to “disregard the said notice and continue to exercise their lawful duties.”
The faction framed the dissolution as incompatible with the party leadership’s expressed desire for unity, linking it directly to the imperative of strengthening the PDP ahead of future elections. “For the avoidance of doubt, the leadership desire for peace must be understood in the context of the need for the salvation of the party for the purpose of the forthcoming elections,” the statement clarified.
This public rejection highlights the persistent governance disputes within the PDP, one of Nigeria’s major political parties. The specific orders referenced by the faction were not detailed in the statement, and the opposing national PDP leadership has not immediately commented. The incident underscores the fragility of the party’s national reconciliation process, as rival factions continue to contest control over state structures critical for candidate selections and campaign mobilization.
As talks aimed at unifying the party continue, the Turaki-led committee’s directive aims to maintain the status quo of elected state executives in the three southwestern states. The standoff raises questions about the enforceability of decisions from competing party organs and could impact the PDP’s organizational cohesion as it prepares for upcoming electoral contests.
