The Abdulrahman Mohammed-led National Caretaker Committee (NCC) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scheduled its National Convention for March 28 and 29, 2026, in Abuja.

This decision was reached during the party’s 105th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on February 2, 2026, which was held at the official residence of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.

The convention aims to elect a new National Working Committee (NWC) and other statutory organs to stabilize the party following prolonged leadership disputes.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the communique was read by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Haruna Mohammed, at the end of the meeting, held at the official residence of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in Abuja.

In the communique, signed by Mohammed and the National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the party also slated ward and local government congresses for February and State congresses for March.

It said that the party’s NEC had directed the NCC, in collaboration with the National Organising Secretary and relevant organs of the party, to issue detailed guidelines, notices and modalities for the conduct of the congresses.

The communique added that the committee had further been directed to act strictly in compliance with the PDP constitution, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regulations, and judicial directives.

The party’s NEC also unanimously reconfirmed, ratified and reaffirmed the full content, validity, force and effect of all resolutions and decisions reached at the 104th emergency NEC meeting held on Dec. 7, 2025.

“That all actions taken, pursuant to the 104th NEC resolutions remain binding, lawful and operative, having been taken in strict compliance with the PDP Constitution (as amended), the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act, and relevant judicial pronouncements,” the communique stated.

The party’s NEC also welcomed and affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Ibadan which upheld the legality of the party’s leadership and administrative arrangements and directed INEC to recognise the duly-constituted caretaker committee.

The NEC equally resolved that all party organs, members and stakeholders would continue to act strictly in obedience to subsisting court judgments and judicial directives.

The committee, therefore, urged INEC and all relevant institutions to fully comply with the said judgment in the interest of democracy and constitutional order.

It further reaffirmed the legitimacy, authority and mandate of the Mohammed-led committee, with Anyanwu as Secretary.

The party stressed that NCC remained the only lawful national administrative organ of the party, fully empowered to act as the National Working Committee (NWC), pending the conduct of the national convention.

The NEC equally affirmed the extension of the tenure of the National Caretaker Working Committee (NCWC) and other affected caretaker committees of the state and zonal chapters, pending the conduct of the national convention, state and zonal congresses respectively.

The committee further mandated the NCC to immediately activate Convention Sub-Committees and begin full logistics, administrative and consultative preparations to ensure a transparent, inclusive and credible convention.

It equally urged stakeholders, supporters and members of PDP across the country and in the diaspora to remain steadfast, law-abiding and committed to the ideals of the party.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have officially shelved their planned mass protest in Abuja and directed all Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) employees to resume work immediately.

The decision was reached following a meeting between the unions, Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the senate committee on FCT.

The meeting commenced on Monday night and ended in the early hours of Tuesday.

In a statement released after the meeting, the unions said complaints of the Joint Union Action Congress (JUAC) were fully addressed during the meeting.

The unions said it was agreed that all cases in the national industrial court pertaining to the dispute should be withdrawn.

“The honourable Minister assured Organised Labour of mutual respect and sustained engagement going forward,” the statement reads.

“It was agreed that, arising from the strike action, no worker shall be victimised in any manner.

“All outstanding cases at the National Industrial Court (NIC) shall be withdrawn immediately.

“Consequently, all JUAC members and all affiliates of the TUC and NLC working in the Ministry of the FCT (MFCT) are hereby directed to resume work immediately.

“All affiliates are enjoined to comply strictly with this directive in the interest of industrial peace and harmony in good faith.”

The statement was jointly signed by Nuru Toro, TUC secretary-general, and Benson Upah, acting NLC general secretary.

On Monday, a national industrial court in Abuja restrained NLC and TUC from embarking on the protest scheduled for Tuesday, February 3.

Emmanuel Subilim, the presiding judge, gave the ruling following an ex parte application filed by Wike and the FCTA.

An erstwhile president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has urged the Yoruba nation to begin immediate and deliberate preparations for political and economic relevance beyond President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s tenure.

The eminent lawyer warned that the region cannot afford complacency while power remains at the centre.

He said the presidency would not remain in the Southwest indefinitely, stressing the need for strategic planning, unity, and purposeful leadership to safeguard the future of Yoruba land.

Olanipekun spoke yesterday in Akure, the Ondo State capital, at a public lecture, titled: “Ondo State: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow,” at the International Culture and Events Centre (The Dome), as part of activities marking the 50th anniversary of the creation of Ondo State.

The former NBA president noted that although President Tinubu may serve until 2031, the Southwest must start preparing for political happenings in the region afterwards.

“I’m not just asking us to prepare for post-2031 because President Tinubu will not be there forever. He will be there till 2031. So, we should be prepared for post-2031,” he said.

Olanipekun warned that internal division could weaken the Southwest’s influence in national politics, calling for stronger cohesion among political leaders, traditional rulers and stakeholders.

“We must hold ourselves together; stay united. There should be cohesion, unity, love, respect and thoughtfulness. Otherwise, the way I see it, we may be lost,” he added.

Olanipekun described development in the region as a collective responsibility that requires courage, strategic thinking and sustained engagement beyond partisan interests.

Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa said his administration was focused on strengthening existing institutions and laying foundations for long-term growth rather than creating new structures.

The governor emphasised reforms in key sectors, including health, education, and security.

He promised that the state security outfit, Amotekun Corps, would be further equipped and repositioned ahead of the proposed state policing framework.

“Amotekun has come to stay. We will make it work better, recruit more personnel and equip them. With state policing in view, it will be able to handle sophisticated weapons against bandits and marauders,” he said.

Aiyedatiwa also highlighted his administration’s plans to drive industrialisation, agriculture and the blue economy.

The governor noted that value addition to cocoa production through processing plants would boost the state’s revenue and job creation.

According to him, ongoing projects, such as the coastal highway and a proposed refinery, would transform the state’s economy, improve connectivity with Lagos and attract investments.

“The coastal highway is a game changer. It will drive industry and movement of people. Tourism, hospitality, health and education will naturally grow as development spreads,” the governor said.

He added that the state had adopted five-year and 10-year rolling development plans centred on human capital development, while youths had been engaged through an essay competition to envision Ondo’s future over the next 70 years.

“I won’t be here in 50 years anyway, but we are projecting to the future for the state as the one or the saddle at this time during this 50th year anniversary of the creation of the state. We have seen what the past leaders have done, their contributions, landmark projects, programmes and policies that have been driving the state before I became governor.

“We have to continue to strengthen that because that is a structure that we cannot change but to improve on that, which we call continuous service improvement, which I believe strongly in.

“We continue to strengthen our institutions, for example, you are not starting a new ministry of health, but you can make that one work better. You can’t create a new ministry of education; it’s been there, it’s a structure we can make more functional, to deliver better.”

SOURCE