BREAKING: Wike’s PDP Faction Appoints Mao Ohuabunwa as Board of Trustees Chairman

Faction moves to replace Wabara, Makarfi amid deepening internal crisis

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has named former senator Mao Ohuabunwa as the new Chairman of its Board of Trustees (BoT), intensifying the ongoing power tussle within the opposition party.

Also appointed was Isah Dansidi, who will serve as Secretary of the factional BoT, replacing Senator Adolphus Wabara and Senator Ahmed Makarfi respectively.

The appointments were confirmed on Friday in Abuja during the inauguration ceremony led by the faction’s Acting National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed.

Wabara, Makarfi Removed for ‘Compromising Neutrality’

According to a communiqué issued after the inauguration and jointly signed by Ohuabunwa and Dansidi, the faction stated that the former BoT leadership could no longer maintain neutrality in the party’s internal crisis.

“The Board noted that the immediate past BoT Chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, and Secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, having publicly taken positions in the ongoing intra-party crisis, can no longer continue to serve in their previous capacities in order to preserve the neutrality, integrity, and moral authority of the BoT,” the communiqué read.

The newly constituted board reaffirmed that Senator Ohuabunwa, like his predecessor Wabara, hails from the South, while Hon. Dansidi represents the North, ensuring regional balance in the leadership.

PDP Faction Calls for Unity, Reconciliation

The faction expressed appreciation to the outgoing officers for their contributions to the party and commended members for their resilience “despite recent challenges.”

It urged all stakeholders to “act with maturity, mutual respect, and shared commitment to the unity and progress of the party,” emphasizing that genuine reconciliation remains the only path to peace and growth within the PDP.

Reaffirming its commitment to internal democracy, the board vowed to promote transparency, inclusiveness, and respect for institutional frameworks.

“The Board affirms that only through adherence to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act, the INEC Guidelines, and the Party’s Constitution can the PDP continue to serve as the custodian of Nigeria’s democratic ideals,” the statement added.

The development marks a fresh chapter in the escalating divide within the PDP, as the Wike-backed faction continues to assert control amid calls for unity from the main leadership structure led by Umar Damagum.