The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is currently operating without clear national leadership, a senior party figure has stated, describing the situation as the party being “an orphan.” Umar Sani, a PDP chieftain, made the remarks during an interview on The Morning Show, Arise Television, on Wednesday.
Sani clarified that the party’s immediate challenge is not a risk of election exclusion but an urgent need to rebuild its internal structure and unity. He asserted that no faction or bloc is currently steering the party, leaving it directionless. “The party is just standing. It is a stand-alone party, not driven by any side,” Sani said.
His assessment follows a recent appellate court ruling that nullified actions taken by a faction aligned with former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike. Sani explained that the Ibadan Division of the Court of Appeal affirmed that members of that faction were under suspension when they purported to constitute the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees. Consequently, those actions lacked legal legitimacy. “The authority which the Nyesom Wike people said they had… was quashed because the court maintained… those people were under suspension at that time and could not have performed any legitimate function of the party,” he stated.
With the court invalidating one faction’s claim to authority, Sani emphasized that reconciliation is the only viable path forward for the PDP. He pointed to the appellate court’s advice as the framework for resolution, urging the party to convene, review membership lists, and make necessary adjustments for a mutually acceptable outcome. “That reconciliation… will be best with the advice of the Ibadan Court of Appeal, where it says we should go and sit down, look at the list, adjust the things, and then bring them,” he added.
This internal crisis comes amid the PDP’s struggles since losing the 2023 presidential election and facing significant defections to other political parties. The lack of a recognized national leadership structure hampers its ability to function as a cohesive opposition and prepare for future electoral contests. Sani’s comments underscore the gravity of the situation, suggesting that the party’s survival depends on implementing the court-guided reconciliation process to restore a legitimate and unified national executive. The coming weeks will likely determine whether the PDP can resolve its leadership vacuum or face further fragmentation.
