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A fresh round of internal strife has erupted within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bauchi State, as a caretaker committee aligned with the party’s national leadership issued a two-week ultimatum to Governor Bala Mohammed and his supporters to vacate PDP offices across the state.
The committee, which declared its loyalty to the faction backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, said the directive followed an emergency meeting convened to review what it described as worsening structural and leadership challenges confronting the party.
According to the group, individuals currently occupying PDP secretariats in Bauchi are doing so without legal backing from the recognised national leadership.
Hence, the committee insisted that the offices must be relinquished within 14 days or face legal enforcement.
Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja, the chairman of the Bauchi State PDP Caretaker Committee, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, said the decision was taken to restore order and uphold party discipline.
He warned that the committee would not hesitate to pursue lawful steps if the ultimatum was ignored.
“We cannot continue to allow impunity to thrive under the guise of political power,” Mohammed said. “The party has a constitution, and loyalty to its legitimate structures is not optional.”
Mohammed further stressed that the caretaker committee remains firmly aligned with the National Working Committee (NWC) recognised by its faction, as well as the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the Board of Trustees (BoT). He added that any parallel authority within the party was unacceptable.
Also addressing journalists, the committee’s secretary, Safyanu Zubairu, said the group’s position was guided by the need to protect the PDP from fragmentation ahead of future electoral contests.
According to him, allowing multiple power centres would weaken the party’s chances nationwide.
“PDP must speak with one voice if it intends to remain competitive,” Zubairu said. “What we are doing is safeguarding the integrity of the party, not attacking individuals.”
The latest ultimatum is closely linked to a broader national crisis rocking the PDP. Tensions escalated last month after a faction, reportedly supported by several governors, including Mohammed and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, convened a national convention that produced a new set of NWC members.
At that convention, Kabiru Turaki was announced as national chairman, while the faction also declared the expulsion of Wike and several of his political allies.
Those named included former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, Samuel Anyanwu, Bature Ajibade, Mao Ohuabunwa, and former Imo State PDP chairman, Austin Nwachukwu.
However, the decisions taken at the convention were swiftly rejected by the Wike-aligned bloc, which dismissed the gathering as unconstitutional.
In response, the group announced the formation of parallel party organs, including its own NWC, NEC and BoT.
Furthermore, the faction loyal to Wike retaliated by ratifying the expulsion of Governors Makinde, Mohammed and Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, deepening the leadership crisis within the opposition party.
Political analysts say the Bauchi ultimatum reflects how the national PDP dispute is increasingly spilling into state chapters, creating administrative confusion and parallel loyalties.
Moreover, concerns are growing that prolonged infighting could weaken the party’s organisational strength ahead of future elections.
For now, attention is focused on whether Governor Mohammed’s camp will comply with the directive or challenge it.
Nevertheless, observers note that unless a reconciliation mechanism is urgently pursued, the PDP may continue to struggle with internal legitimacy battles across several states.
As the 14-day deadline ticks away, the Bauchi PDP crisis underscores the widening rift within Nigeria’s main opposition party and the difficult road ahead for party unity.