Ex-senator Ohuabunwa emerges PDP factional BoT chairman

Senator Mao Ohuabunwa Emerges as Factional Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees

In a significant development within Nigeria’s political landscape, former Senator Mao Ohuabunwa has been announced as the factional Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

 This announcement follows the dissolution of the Adolphus Wabara-led BoT by a faction aligned with the party’s newly appointed Acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammad.

The decision was formalized through a communiqué released on Friday, November 7, 2025, after an emergency and inaugural meeting of the reconstituted BoT held in Abuja. The communiqué confirmed that alongside Ohuabunwa’s elevation, Hon. Isah Dansidi was elected as the new Secretary of the Board, replacing Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

The factional BoT justified the removal of Wabara and Makarfi by citing their public alignment in the ongoing intra-party crisis, which, according to the communiqué, compromised the neutrality and moral authority traditionally expected of the Board of Trustees. 

The statement emphasized that the BoT must remain impartial and above internal party conflicts to uphold its role as the conscience of the party.

The newly constituted BoT, under Ohuabunwa’s leadership, reaffirmed its commitment to the unity and democratic ideals of the PDP. It declared that the party remains “one indivisible, united, and democratic family firmly committed to the ideals of justice, equity, and progress.”

On the matter of the party’s proposed national convention, the BoT expressed support for its postponement. This stance was taken in light of an appeal pending before the Court of Appeal, challenging a Federal High Court judgment.

The Board argued that the Federal High Court’s ruling carries more legal weight than an interim order from the Oyo State High Court. It maintained that prudence and respect for judicial processes necessitate delaying the convention until the appellate court delivers its verdict.

This development marks a new chapter in the PDP’s internal dynamics, reflecting the deepening divisions and the strategic realignments within the party’s leadership structure.

As the party navigates these turbulent waters, the emergence of Senator Ohuabunwa as a factional BoT chairman underscores the ongoing contest for influence and legitimacy within Nigeria’s foremost opposition party.