Wike Faction Consolidates Power in South-West PDP as Rival Turaki Group Escalates Leadership Dispute to Supreme Court

Wike-backed PDP faction elects South-West zonal officers while the Turaki group appeals to the Supreme Court, creating a pre-convention leadership showdown.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 28, 2026, 8:47 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Peoples Gazette

Zonal Congress Establishes New Regional Leadership

The South-West zone of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has successfully elected a new cadre of Zonal Working Committee members during a high-stakes congress held at the Lagos Airport Hotel in Ikeja. This electoral process, which occurred on Thursday, was described by zonal officials as a display of internal unity designed to stabilize the opposition party’s regional structure. The emergence of this new committee represents a strategic victory for the faction aligned with National Leader Nyesom Wike, as the party attempts to fortify its grassroots presence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Composition of the New South-West Executive

According to an official communique from Zonal Publicity Secretary Akinloye Oyeniyi, the newly minted leadership is headed by Deji Doherty as Chairman. The executive team includes Oluwole Omotaje as Secretary, Obe Gbolaro as Treasurer, and David Adedamola in the role of Legal Adviser. Rounding out the primary offices are Gbadamosi Babatunde as Financial Secretary and Tolulope Awoniyi as Youth Leader. This diverse slate of officers has been formally tasked with mobilizing regional support and revitalizing the party's influence within the critical South-West geopolitical zone.

Strategic Endorsement of the National Convention

Stakeholders at the congress utilized the platform to unanimously endorse the upcoming national convention scheduled to take place in Abuja from March 29 to 30. Mr. Oyeniyi characterized the zonal meeting as a crucial milestone, emphasizing that the party remains committed to showcasing its collective strength as Nigeria's largest opposition entity. The congress also extended formal commendation to Nyesom Wike for his role in maintaining the party's structural integrity, expressing optimism that the PDP will emerge from the national convention with a renewed mandate to reclaim federal power.