Wike faction of PDP fixes May 25 for presidential primary

A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has scheduled May 25 for the election of its presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group also fixed May 2, May 9 and May 16 for the conduct of primaries to select candidates for state assemblies, the national assembly and governorship positions respectively.

The timetable was approved on Wednesday during the faction’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Abuja.

According to a communiqué issued after the meeting, the faction also set April 10 as the deadline for submitting its membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The NEC commended the national caretaker working committee led by Abdulrahman Mohammed for stabilising the party and overseeing its affairs during the ongoing transition period. It also expressed satisfaction with the conduct of ward and local government congresses nationwide, noting that the forthcoming state congresses would be conducted in line with the party’s constitution.

As part of preparations for its national convention scheduled for March 28 and 29, the NEC approved the conduct of zonal congresses within the next two weeks. The faction welcomed the recent Court of Appeal judgment in Abuja that nullified the PDP national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025.

Speaking during the meeting, Wike said his group remained firmly in control of the party’s structure and would only consider reconciliation from a position of strength. He also urged party leaders seeking peace within the PDP to present clear proposals publicly, cautioning against what he described as secret negotiations.

In his remarks, Senate Minority Leader Abba Moro called on party members to prioritise the unity and survival of the PDP over personal interests ahead of the 2027 elections.