PDP Sokoto executive dissolution dispute erupts as state leaders reject party decision and insist elected exco remains legitimate in Sokoto
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Sokoto State, Nigeria, on Wednesday, 29 April 2026, rejected the dissolution of its state executive committee by the party’s national leadership, describing the decision as unconstitutional and lacking legal justification, in a development that has triggered a dramatic internal rift.
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PDP Sokoto executive dissolution dispute intensified after the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudu Mohammed, announced the immediate dissolution of the Sokoto State executive committee and the appointment of a 15 member caretaker committee to oversee party affairs in the state.
Under the new arrangement, Hayatu Tafida was named chairman of the caretaker committee, while Ahmed S. Pawa was appointed secretary, a move aimed at stabilising the party structure ahead of future political engagements in the state.
However, Sokoto State PDP Chairman, Bello Goronyo, swiftly dismissed the directive, insisting that the elected state executive remains the legitimate leadership of the party and cannot be removed without due process.
Goronyo argued that the PDP Sokoto executive dissolution dispute represents a breach of internal democratic principles, stressing that the state leadership was duly elected and remains constitutionally protected from arbitrary removal.
“When I saw the statement, I laughed because you cannot simply dissolve an elected executive. It cannot be done in that manner,” Goronyo said, maintaining a defiant stance against the national directive.
He further stated that only a court of law has the authority to remove the elected executive committee, insisting that the current leadership of the Sokoto State PDP remains valid and operational despite the national announcement.
The Sokoto PDP chairman also acknowledged the broader leadership tensions within the party at the national level, which are currently before the Supreme Court, but maintained that the legal proceedings do not affect the tenure or legitimacy of the state executive.
The PDP Sokoto executive dissolution dispute has now placed the party on a collision course between its national and state structures, raising fresh questions about internal discipline, constitutional interpretation, and authority within Nigeria’s opposition party.
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As the situation unfolds, party stakeholders are watching closely to see whether the national leadership will enforce its directive or engage in further reconciliation efforts to resolve the escalating political tension in Sokoto State.
