The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has resolved to participate in the party’s national convention scheduled for March 29, 2026, in Abuja, following an emergency meeting of party leaders and stakeholders in Ilorin.
State Chairman Isa Bawa announced the decision after deliberations on the party’s ongoing national leadership crisis and the implications for the state chapter’s political direction ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Bawa said stakeholders agreed that Kwara delegates should fully participate in the convention, adding that the outcome of the meeting would guide the party’s next steps. He noted that stakeholders would reconvene to reassess the situation if the convention is successfully conducted and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as required by law.
He also maintained that despite the internal crisis at the national level, the party remains stable and retains strong grassroots support across the state.
Speaking at the meeting, a governorship aspirant and former Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Ali Ahmad, said the state chapter withdrew from the party’s November 2025 convention in Ibadan after discovering the absence of INEC officials at the event.
Ahmad explained that although the Kwara chapter is not aligned with any faction, its decision to attend the March 29 convention followed a recent Court of Appeal judgment recognising the leadership led by Abdulrahman Mohammed. He expressed confidence that the convention would meet legal requirements and help reposition the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
The convention comes amid a prolonged leadership dispute within the PDP, with rival factions laying claim to control of the party’s national structure. A previous convention in Ibadan had produced a leadership team headed by Kabiru Turaki after the tenure of acting national chairman Umar Damagum expired.
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 dispute 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 violating the Electoral Act, the Constitution and the party’s internal regulations.
The March 29 convention is expected to play a key role in resolving the party’s leadership dispute as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.
