PDP Convention Tension: Adeleke, Mutfwang Snubbed on Governors’ Banner Sparks Fury in Ibadan
The Peoples Democratic Party’s elective national convention erupted into chaos in Ibadan on Saturday, as furious delegates spotted the glaring omission of Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke and Plateau Governor Caleb Mutfwang from a prominent governors’ banner, fueling whispers of deepening factional rifts.
As PDP convention tension gripped the Lekan Salami Stadium in Adamasingba, the Adeleke Mutfwang missing banner incident unfolded amid PDP governors absent drama and Ibadan PDP convention proceedings. Organizers had hoisted a massive display labeled “PDP Governors,” but the exclusion of Adeleke and Mutfwang—while including absent figures like Rivers’ Siminalayi Fubara—ignited outrage, with delegates ripping down related posters in protest. This PDP elective convention blunder came at a pivotal moment, as the party battles internal divisions ahead of key elections.
The PDP, Nigeria’s main opposition force, kicked off its 2025 elective national convention on November 15, 2025, defying a court injunction from a rival faction led by ex-FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. Backed by an Oyo State High Court ruling, the Umar Iliya Damagum-led group pressed ahead, aiming to elect new executives and solidify unity. Over 4,000 delegates from across Nigeria’s 36 states converged on the stadium, waving party flags and chanting slogans under tight security. Yet, the banner fiasco overshadowed the pomp, highlighting simmering grievances over perceived favoritism and loyalty tests.
Background on the absentees adds layers to the PDP convention tension. Ademola Adeleke, the dancing senator-turned-governor of Osun, has navigated choppy PDP waters since his 2022 victory, often clashing with national leaders over state chapter control. His no-show, despite Osun delegates arriving early, echoed recent snubs—like skipping a PDP governors’ forum in Zamfara—amid rumors of hedging bets for his 2026 re-election bid. Caleb Mutfwang, Plateau’s embattled chief executive, faces his own storms: A state high court sacked him in 2024 over an APC defection dispute, though appeals linger. His banner absence, coupled with sparse Plateau representation, stokes fears of defection or boycott, especially after his irregular attendance at party events.
In contrast, the banner featured Fubara, locked in a brutal feud with godfather Wike, whose faction opposes the convention. Other no-shows included Taraba’s Agbu Kefas, whose poster met a delegate’s wrath. Attendees numbered just four governors: Host Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa, convention committee chair), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi, governors’ forum head), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), and surprisingly, Mutfwang—wait, reports confirm his presence at the venue, twisting the knife on the banner gaffe. Damagum, the acting chairman, received the Nigerian flag from Mohammed, symbolizing factional resolve.
Expert voices cut through the noise. Political analyst Dr. Fatima Yusuf of the Lagos-based CLEEN Foundation called it “a blatant signal of PDP’s fractured soul.” “Omitting loyalists like Adeleke while propping up proxies exposes the Damagum camp’s insecurity,” she told reporters on-site. “This isn’t oversight; it’s optics warfare in a party bleeding members to the APC.” Public reactions boiled over on social media, with #PDPBannerGate trending. A Twitter user from Osun fumed, “Adeleke built PDP here—erasing him? Treason!” Another from Jos added, “Mutfwang fights for us daily; this disrespect could push Plateau out for good.” Forum threads on Nairaland lit up with polls: 62% predict more defections by year-end.
For everyday Nigerians, this PDP governors absent saga ripples beyond politics. As inflation bites and insecurity festers under President Bola Tinubu’s APC, a weakened PDP hampers opposition checks, delaying relief on fuel prices and naira woes. In Osun and Plateau—states hit hard by farmer-herder clashes and economic dips—the snub erodes trust in governance, potentially spiking voter apathy in 2027 polls. Youth delegates, eyeing jobs and reforms, voiced frustration: “We need unity, not banners that divide,” one told Channels TV. Economically, PDP’s disarray stalls policy pushes like state-level subsidies, leaving families in Ibadan and beyond to bear the brunt.
The convention soldiered on, with accreditation wrapping up and nominations slated for afternoon sessions. Organizers yanked the offending banner mid-morning, but screenshots and videos had already gone viral, amplifying the Ibadan PDP convention fallout. As votes roll in for national roles, eyes stay glued on whether Adeleke or Mutfwang issues statements—or if quiet expulsions follow, like those hitting Wike and ex-Ekiti Governor Ayodele Fayose earlier today.
Yet, as PDP convention tension lingers from the Adeleke Mutfwang missing banner, the PDP governors absent fallout at this Ibadan PDP convention and PDP elective convention underscores a party at the brink. With factions dug in and delegates seething, the PDP’s path to relevance hangs by a thread—will reconciliation mend the tears, or will this elective showdown accelerate its unraveling ahead of 2027?
By Sam Michael
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