Barring any last-minute changes, the Governor Seyi Makinde-backed faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Executive Committee is set to unveil a 10-member caretaker committee on Monday, with Tanimu Turaki (SAN) tipped to chair the body.
Sources familiar with the development told The PUNCH that Turaki emerged as the preferred choice of the Adolphus Wabara-led Board of Trustees (BoT) during its meeting held in Abuja on Sunday.
Opening the meeting, former Senate President Wabara declared that the party would not bow to what he described as political saboteurs.
“The PDP will never surrender to renegades and political brigands,” he said, stressing that the party’s institutional integrity remains intact despite internal disputes.
He added that the Board of Trustees had stepped in, in line with the party’s constitution, to stabilise the PDP and promote reconciliation following the leadership crisis.
The development comes days after the Supreme Court invalidated the Makinde-backed PDP national convention held in Ibadan on November 15 and 16.
In a split 3–2 judgment delivered on April 30, the court ruled that the convention violated existing orders restraining the party from proceeding, faulting the PDP for acting in defiance of judicial directives.
Wabara argued that the ruling effectively created a leadership vacuum, insisting that no recognised leadership currently exists within the party.
According to Wabara, the BoT has secured the required two-thirds majority to convene a National Executive Committee meeting on Monday, where the caretaker committee will be constituted.
He also directed PDP staff to resume work, noting that efforts were underway to restore normalcy.
Providing a chronology of events, Wabara accused some party members of orchestrating internal sabotage aimed at weakening the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Some individuals, working for the APC, are attempting to cripple our party,” he alleged.
After the closed-door session, a source who attended the meeting said most BoT members agreed that Tanimu Turaki (SAN) should be named chairman of the caretaker committee expected to be unveiled by the NEC.
The source said, “We had a fruitful deliberation. We discussed unity and reconciliation, but above all, the BoT has assumed leadership of the party. It was also agreed that a caretaker committee would be constituted.
“Most members believe Turaki has, in recent months, boosted the party’s image and remains widely acceptable. Based on that, many agreed he should be unveiled as chairman of the 10-man caretaker committee to be announced at tomorrow’s NEC meeting.”
In a related development, sources revealed that Governor Makinde is expected to formally declare his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election within the week.
The source said, “Makinde has repeatedly said he will remain in the PDP even if he is the last man standing. He is committed to the party and is currently the only PDP governor.
“He is expected to formally declare his presidential ambition between now and Saturday. He has no other platform aside from the PDP.”
The source added that despite the crisis, some party members remained optimistic that the PDP would overcome its internal challenges before the 2027 elections and remain competitive across all levels.
However, the faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, dismissed claims of a leadership vacuum in the party.
The faction’s Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, insisted that the current leadership remains intact, adding that no court ruling had suspended any party official.
He described the BoT meeting as inconsequential.
“The meeting they held was just a gathering of people taking tea,” he said.
“The authentic BoT chairman is Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, and anything they are doing is a nullity.”
The PDP has been embroiled in a protracted leadership crisis, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s structure.
