The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) erupted into a full-blown political earthquake on Tuesday as the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), dominated by the faction loyal to Nyesom Wike, announced the expulsion of three sitting governors—Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, and Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State—alongside party elder statesman Chief Bode George.
The dramatic decision, taken at the party’s 103rd NEC meeting held at the PDP National Secretariat, Abuja, also saw the suspension of several high-profile leaders, deepening the factional power tussle shaking the party to its core.
Among those suspended are former Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara; former Minister and presidential aspirant, Senator Kabiru Tanimu Turaki; and Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja. According to the NEC, the affected chieftains were sanctioned for “anti-party activities and gross disregard for court judgements,” which the leadership said had placed the PDP in disrepute.
In a sweeping structural overhaul, the NEC further ratified the dissolution of the State Executive Councils in seven states—Bauchi, Oyo, Zamfara, Yobe, Lagos, Edo, and Ekiti—signaling a major reconfiguration of the party’s grassroots power blocs.
Presenting the memo that triggered the expulsions, Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Mohammed Abdulrahman, said the party could no longer tolerate influential members openly defying court orders and undermining the authority of the national leadership. He stressed that the decisions were necessary to “restore discipline, protect the party’s honour, and prevent further erosion of the PDP’s internal cohesion.”
The NEC meeting, held amid heightened security and palpable tension, reportedly witnessed heated exchanges as loyalists of rival blocs clashed over the legitimacy and far-reaching implications of the decisions. The Wike-aligned faction, however, maintained firm control of proceedings, pushing through the sanctions in what observers describe as one of the most consequential NEC sittings in recent years.
Political analysts warn that the expulsions of three serving governors, coupled with the dissolution of entire state structures, may trigger a wave of court actions, defections, and political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party now faces one of the gravest internal crises in its history, with the Wike faction asserting dominance while other blocs insist the actions are illegitimate.
As of press time, the affected governors and suspended leaders were yet to issue official reactions, though associates hint at possible legal and political pushback.