Sokoto PDP boycott convention in Abuja, citing neutrality amid the ongoing leadership crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party

The Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced it will not participate in the national convention organised in Abuja by a faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

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The state chapter said its decision aligns with its longstanding position of neutrality amid the prolonged leadership crisis affecting the opposition party.

Speaking in a telephone interview on Saturday, the state Publicity Secretary, Hassan Sanyinawal, stated that the Sokoto PDP does not recognise any faction and would therefore abstain from the Abuja exercise.

“We are not attending the convention in Abuja, just as we refused to attend the Ibadan convention. We are members of the PDP, but we do not belong to any faction. So, we will not be part of the convention,” Sanyinawal said.

The announcement comes as divisions within the PDP continue to deepen, with rival factions making competing claims to leadership.

The crisis escalated after the 2025 convention in Ibadan, which was later nullified by a court for failing to comply with electoral guidelines.

The fallout has produced parallel party structures, including one faction loyal to Wike and another aligned with previously recognised leadership.

Both groups have since pursued separate conventions and consolidation efforts, widening internal rifts.

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Despite calls for reconciliation, stakeholders remain concerned about the crisis’s potential impact on the PDP’s cohesion and effectiveness as Nigeria’s principal opposition party ahead of upcoming elections.