Makinde-led PDP unveils Turaki, others as caretaker committee members

By Jude Opara

The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Governor Seyi Makinde -led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday met to unveil a caretaker committee to pilot the affairs of the party pending the election of a new National Working Committee (NWC).

Addressing the meeting which held in Abuja, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Sen. Adolphus Wabara said the decision was taken pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP, which he said gives the BoT the powers to the charge of the party when there is a leadership vacuum. He added that the 103 NEC was convened by over two/third of the members.

‘As you are already aware, the Board of Trustees under my chairmanship assumed administrative leadership of our party in line with the empowering provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (As amended in 2017) following the judgment of the Supreme Court, which on Thursday, 30th April, 2026, stripped the PDP of a National Working Committee.

“The action of the BoT was to avoid a leadership vacuum as the Supreme Court’s invalidated the 2025 National Convention that produced the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee as well as upheld the suspension of key conveners of the March 29th -30th contentious Convention in Abuja thereby also invalidating that exercise and nullifying its outcome”.

Let me commence by thanking leaders and members of the party for the confidence reposed on the BoT under my leadership to steer the ship of the party at this defining moment.

The former Senate President said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has ruined the country which has made many Nigerians to continue to pray for the PDP to rise again and rescue the the country.

“The APC has subjected Nigerians to the worst kind of hardship, torture and misery. Today, the hope of millions of Nigerians lies in the return of the PDP to power in 2027. This is why the APC, in collaboration with certain suspended members of our Party have been desperate to destroy our party, but like I always say, the PDP will never die”.

According to Wabara, the APC and some of the suspended members of the party connived to compromise some officials in the judiciary, the security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He charged the caretaker committee members to know that the task before them is enormous, adding that millions of party members, supporters and the general public will be looking up to them for direction.

“You must be ready to make sacrifices, foster genuine reconciliation and unity to rebuild our party and set it back to its winning ways. Your decisions and activities must be firm, guided by the principles of internal democracy; justice, fairness and transparency.

“We must bear in mind that the PDP is bigger than any individual or group and ensure the supremacy of the party on all issues. I assure you that you have the support of all other organs of the party as you lead our party to greater heights and path of victory”.

Also in his remarks, the only surviving governor of the PDP, Seyi Makinde said what is happening with the PDP is a passing phase which will clear out very shortly.

According to him, usurpers have taken over the offices at the Wadata House as well as the Legacy House, even as they are not supposed to be there. He added that to show that the Wike faction is working for the APC, the only presidential aspirant who purchased the form for the primary was allegedly wearing the trademark cap of President Bola Tinubu.

“I saw on social media yesterday, somebody went to collect the forms supposedly to run to be the presidential candidate of this party. Buy they’re wearing Ajiwaju’s cap, how do we reconcile that?

“But let me place it on record that when the day is about to break, that is usually the darkest moment. Yes, we as a party, we’re going through our darkest moment right now, because the day is about to break for a new order in our country.

“But for those going against the continual sustenance of democracy in Nigeria, they will have their date with history. Yes, they will. So they have the opportunity to redeem their image, ensure that what we’re doing is in accordance with the constitution of the PDP.

In his acceptance speech on behalf of the interim caretaker committee, the Chairman, Tanimu Turaki thanked the BoT and the National entire party members for the confidence reposed in them.

Turaki who had also emerged from the disputed Ibadan convention assured that the committee will work assiduously to unite the members of the party, even as he urged those who may have left the party due to the crisis to return because the time goes rebuilding has come.a