…as Wike-backedPDP sets condition to accept them

By Luminous Jannamike

Appeal Court ruling has left Nigeria’s main opposition party with only two governors and their next move could determine whether the party survives as a national political force.

Behind a small mosque known locally as Masalaci in Area 1, Mpape in Abuja, the afternoon Ramadan heat hangs heavily over a narrow line of roadside stalls. A few customers sit on wooden benches. Traders speak quietly.

Inside one stall, 41-year-old phone repairer Samaila Ibrahim bends over a cracked smartphone on his workbench. A tiny screwdriver turns carefully in his hand.

A customer reads out a headline from his phone about the crisis in the Peoples Democratic Party. Samaila pauses. For a moment, he studies the screen.

“So the court has cancelled their convention?” he asks.

The customer nods. Samaila shakes his head slightly and returns to the open phone on his table.

“If their convention no longer exists, who will present their presidential candidate?” he says, tightening a small screw.

It is a simple question. But it captures the deeper uncertainty now surrounding Nigeria’s main opposition party.

Because after a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal (Nigeria), the political future of the PDP may now depend largely on the decisions of just two men; Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed.

Their next move could determine whether the party enters the 2027 elections as a serious opposition force, or one without a single sitting governor.

 A Ruling that Reshaped the Party

 The Court of Appeal recently nullified the PDP’s national convention held in Ibadan last year, the gathering that produced a National Working Committee aligned with former minister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki.

With that decision, the leadership structure that emerged from the convention effectively disappeared.

For now, the only national leadership recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission is the caretaker committee headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed as chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as secretary, widely seen as politically aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

The ruling shifted the balance of power inside the party. A faction that had earlier lost the internal struggle now controls the structure recognised by law.

A senior PDP figure aligned with the Mohammed/Anyanwu leadership put it bluntly.

“Politics is about structure. Right now, the structure is not on their side,” he told Sunday Vanguard. 

 The Last Two Governors Standing

 Not long ago, the PDP dominated Nigeria’s political landscape. The party governed the country for sixteen years and once controlled more than a dozen states before losing power in 2015.

Today, only two governors remain under its banner. Makinde governs Oyo State. Bala Mohammed leads Bauchi State. Both men are serving their final terms. Both want influence over who succeeds them in 2027. But the crisis at the national level now threatens those plans.

Under Nigeria’s electoral system, parties submit candidate nominations through their recognised national leadership to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

If that leadership structure becomes the subject of legal disputes, those nominations can also be challenged. For governors trying to shape succession politics, that uncertainty carries real risks.

A senior party official involved in recent consultations said the two governors are watching events closely.

“Both of them understand that the national structure determines who signs the candidate lists. Without influence at that level, their leverage going into 2027 becomes very limited,” the source said. 

 The Supreme Court Option

 One possible path is to continue the legal fight. Supporters of the Turaki faction are considering an appeal to the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

But that route could take time. Months, possibly longer.

Meanwhile the electoral calendar keeps moving.

Former Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki warned that waiting for the final ruling could complicate the party’s preparations.

“My own position is that the Court of Appeal has ruled. However, with the revised timetable by INEC, it is obvious that there is no time to wait for the Supreme Court decision.

“Otherwise, we would not meet the deadlines for completing the process of nominating candidates. Also, uncertainty will continue to hang over the validity of the tickets issued to those nominated on the PDP platform,” he said.

Saraki urged party leaders to focus instead on reconciliation and organising a fresh convention that complies with electoral rules.

 Calls for Reconciliation

 Others within the party have made similar appeals. Kogi Central senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan said the PDP must move beyond prolonged court battles.

“The Court of Appeal has spoken, and as a democratic party that believes in the rule of law, we must shift focus from litigation to reconciliation and rebuilding.

“Our members across the grassroots must not become casualties of prolonged disagreements among leaders,” she said.

But reconciliation could also mean accepting the authority of the Mohammed/Anyanwu-led structure, something that could strengthen the influence of the Wike faction.

Election lawyer Nnamdi Ezeobi said disputes over party leadership often create serious complications, noting that under Nigeria’s electoral framework, candidates are submitted through a party’s recognised national leadership, meaning such disputes can create legal complications for nominations.

“Under Nigeria’s electoral framework, candidates are submitted through the party’s recognised national leadership. If that structure is being contested through court rulings, it can expose those nominations to legal challenges later,” he said.

 Talk of Defections

 Another possibility being discussed quietly in political circles is defection. Since the court ruling, speculation has grown about whether the two governors might eventually leave the party.

Some observers believe Bala Mohammed could move to the All Progressives Congress. Makinde has also been mentioned in conversations involving the African Democratic Congress.

If either governor leaves, the consequences could be dramatic. The PDP would lose its last state governments.

 The Lamido Factor

 Ironically, one of the disputes that helped trigger the legal crisis did not originate within the Wike faction.

Former Jigawa governor Sule Lamido had earlier protested what he described as attempts to restrict access to nomination forms ahead of the Ibadan convention.

Lamido argued that internal democracy required open competition and publicly demanded the forms himself.

That disagreement eventually became part of the legal process that led to the convention being cancelled.

What began as a dispute over internal procedures has now reshaped the party’s leadership.

 A Quiet Advantage for the Ruling Party

 Beyond the PDP itself, political analysts say the broader political implications could be significant.

If the opposition remains trapped in internal disputes and legal battles, the biggest beneficiary could be President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The party that once posed the most serious national challenge may now enter the next election cycle without a sitting governor or its political structures in their respective states.

Public Reactions

Gbenga Giwa — Commenting on the shrinking number of PDP governors, he said the party’s constant legal battles make it unattractive to politicians seeking stability.

“The unending litigations in PDP do not augur well for any serious politicians seeking reelection. That’s why it’s only Seyi Makinde (Oyo) and Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), who cannot seek reelection, that remain as governors in PDP.”

Leo Gratias — Reflecting on the party’s emergency consultations after the ruling, he said the moment could still become an opportunity for rebuilding.

 “PDP’s moment of truth (has come). Governor Makinde, Governor Bala Mohammed, and ex-Chairman Umar Damagum joined the Board of Trustees for an emergency Abuja meeting post-Appeal Court judgment on Wednesday. This gathering signals the party’s urgent push for unity, reconciliation, and strategic rebuilding ahead of 2027. Litigation over now the real work begins. Time to heal and regroup.”

Aminu Adamu — Offering encouragement to the governors, he framed the moment as a test of political conviction.

“The two of you (Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde) should continue to be resilient. The test of time really show those who are genuinely for the course and that have integrity.”

As the sun begins to drop behind the hills around Mpape, people start preparing to break the Ramadan fast.

Samaila finally closes the phone he has been repairing and hands it back to its owner.

The customer asks again about the PDP crisis. Samaila shrugs. He begins packing his tools.

“Everything now depends on those two governors,” he says.

The call to prayer echoes across the neighbourhood. For a moment, the stall falls quiet.

“If they leave, then the story of that party is finished,” he adds softly. 

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