Sokoto PDP shuns Wike-led Abuja convention, insists on neutrality
By Animasahun Salman, Sokoto
The Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced it will not participate in the national convention being organised in Abuja by a faction of the party aligned with Nyesom Wike.
The party said its decision was consistent with its stance of remaining neutral amid the lingering leadership crisis rocking the opposition party.
Speaking in a telephone interview, the state Publicity Secretary, Hassan Sahabi Sanyinawal, said the Sokoto PDP does not recognise any faction and would therefore stay away from the exercise.
“We are not attending the convention in Abuja, just like we refused to attend the Ibadan convention,” he said.
“We are members of the PDP, but we don’t belong to any faction. So, we will not be part of the convention.”
The development comes as divisions within the PDP continue to deepen, with parallel structures and competing claims to leadership emerging across the country.
The PDP has been embroiled in a protracted internal crisis following disputes over its national leadership and the conduct of its 2025 convention in Ibadan, which was later nullified by the court over procedural irregularities, including failure to comply with electoral guidelines.
The fallout led to the emergence of rival blocs within the party, including one backed by Wike and another loyal to the previously recognised leadership.
Both factions have since been making moves to consolidate control, including plans for separate conventions, further widening cracks within the party.
Despite calls for reconciliation, the crisis has persisted, with stakeholders expressing concern over its implications for the PDP’s strength as Nigeria’s main opposition party ahead of future elections.
Sokoto PDP’s latest position underscores the growing reluctance of some state chapters to align with any of the contending groups, opting instead to maintain distance until the leadership tussle is resolved.
