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By Ameen Ayinla
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has resolved to participate fully in the party’s national convention slated for March 29, 2026, in Abuja.
The decision was reached at an emergency meeting of party leaders and stakeholders held in Ilorin, where deliberations centred on the ongoing national leadership crisis and its implications for the state chapter ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The State Chairman of the party, Alhaji Isa Bawa, announced that stakeholders unanimously agreed on the need for Kwara delegates to attend the convention.
He noted that the outcome of the exercise would determine the party’s next line of action.
According to him, stakeholders would reconvene to reassess the situation if the convention is successfully conducted and duly monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, in line with legal requirements.
Alhaji Bawa maintained that despite the crisis at the national level, the PDP remains stable in Kwara State and continues to enjoy strong grassroots support.
Also speaking, a governorship aspirant and former Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Ali Ahmad, recalled that the state chapter boycotted the party’s November 2025 convention in Ibadan due to the absence of electoral officials.
He explained that although the Kwara PDP is not aligned with any faction, its decision to participate in the upcoming convention was influenced by a recent Court of Appeal judgment recognising the leadership led by Abdulrahman Mohammed.
Ahmad expressed optimism that the March 29 convention would comply with legal provisions and help reposition the party for the 2027 general elections.
The PDP has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership tussle, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s national structure.
A previous convention in Ibadan had produced a leadership team headed by Kabiru Turaki following the expiration of the tenure of acting national chairman, Umar Damagum.
However, a rival faction loyal to Nyesom Wike later constituted a caretaker committee led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, with Samuel Anyanwu serving as acting national secretary.
The crisis escalated after both factions attempted to hold parallel meetings at the party’s national secretariat, prompting the Nigeria Police Force to seal the premises.
In a ruling delivered on March 9, 2026, the Court of Appeal nullified the Ibadan convention for breaching provisions of the Electoral Act, the Constitution, and the party’s internal guidelines.
The March 29 convention is expected to play a decisive role in resolving the leadership dispute as the party intensifies preparations for the 2027 general elections.
