Sokoto PDP Leadership Defies National Headquarters Following Unconstitutional Dissolution Of State Executive Committee

Bello Goronyo defies PDP national headquarters' attempt to dissolve the Sokoto State executive. Read about the legal battle for party control.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 29, 2026, 3:48 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Daily Post Nigeria

A Crisis Of Authority Within The Opposition

The internal stability of the Peoples Democratic Party has been further compromised following a public clash between the national headquarters and its Sokoto State chapter. The conflict erupted after the party’s national leadership issued a statement, signed by National Publicity Secretary Jungudu Mohammed, announcing the immediate dissolution of the Sokoto State executive committee. In its place, the national body appointed a 15 member caretaker committee led by Hayatu Tafida as chairman and Ahmed S. Pawa as secretary. This move was intended to centralize control over the state's party affairs but was met with immediate and vocal resistance from the sitting executive.

Chairman Bello Goronyo Rejects Caretaker Committee

Responding to the national directive, the embattled Sokoto State PDP Chairman, Bello Goronyo, characterized the dissolution as a laughable overreach of power. Goronyo maintained that his executive committee was legitimately elected and that their tenure cannot be truncated by an administrative fiat. He argued that the national leadership lacks the unilateral authority to dismantle an elected state structure without adhering to the strict due process outlined in the party’s constitution. By refusing to vacate his post, Goronyo has set the stage for a protracted power struggle within the state’s political landscape.

Legal Justification And The Role Of The Judiciary

Central to the state chapter's defiance is the argument that political leadership derived from a democratic election is protected by law. Goronyo asserted that only a court of law possesses the jurisdiction to remove his committee from office. He emphasized that until a judicial ruling declares their election invalid or their tenure expired, his team remains the sole legitimate authority for the PDP in Sokoto. This legalistic stance highlights a growing trend within Nigerian political parties where state chapters use the judiciary as a shield against what they perceive as high handedness from national party organs.