LAGOS, Nigeria — A faction of the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has suspended former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George, and 23 other members over alleged anti-party activities, deepening the crisis within the opposition party in the state.
The suspension was announced on Friday in a statement signed by the chairman of the faction’s disciplinary committee, Kayode Ogunbiyi, and the committee’s secretary, Desmond Agbo. The group is reported to be loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
According to the statement, the decision followed a disciplinary committee meeting held on May 26, 2026, where petitions were reviewed against some members accused of conduct considered damaging to the party. The committee said the allegations included anti-party activities and breaches of the PDP constitution.
The faction said the party could no longer tolerate behaviour capable of causing division, disaffection or weakening its electoral prospects. It added that the suspended members would be barred from participating in party activities pending further action.
George, a long-standing PDP figure in Lagos and a former military administrator, has remained one of the most prominent voices in the party’s South-West structure. His suspension, even by a faction, is expected to intensify the battle for control of the Lagos PDP ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Lagos chapter of the PDP has faced prolonged internal disputes, with rival tendencies competing for influence over party structures, candidate selection and alignment with national blocs. The latest action reflects the wider crisis within the national PDP, where divisions linked to Wike and other power centres have continued to shape party politics since the 2023 elections.
The faction accused some members of working against party interests and associating with rival political forces. However, the action may be contested by George’s allies, who are likely to question the authority of the factional disciplinary committee to suspend senior party members.
The development comes as opposition parties are trying to reposition themselves ahead of 2027, while the ruling All Progressives Congress seeks to consolidate its dominance in Lagos. PDP leaders in the state have repeatedly blamed factional disputes for the party’s poor electoral performance in previous contests.
For the Lagos PDP, the suspension could either force a fresh round of reconciliation or further fragment the party’s already divided structure. For George and the other affected members, the next step may determine whether the dispute remains an internal disciplinary matter or escalates into a broader legal and political confrontation.
