PDP Crisis: Mao Ohuabunwa Emerges as New Chairman of Board of Trustees
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday announced Senator Mao Ohuabunwa as the new Chairman of its reconstituted Board of Trustees (BoT), following the dissolution of the Adolphus Wabara-led board by a faction loyal to the party’s acting National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Muhammad.
The decision was reached during an emergency meeting held at the Abuja residence of former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, who is believed to be a key force in the ongoing power realignments within the party.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, Hon. Isah Dansidi was also named the new BoT Secretary, replacing former Kaduna governor Ahmed Makarfi.
According to the communiqué, Wabara and Makarfi “could no longer continue in their positions, having publicly taken positions in the ongoing intra-party crisis,” a move that party leaders said compromised the neutrality expected of the BoT.
Acting National Chairman Abdulrahman Muhammad described the reconstitution as necessary to restore credibility and internal discipline to the party, insisting that the previous board had lost “moral authority.” He also cited a recent Federal High Court judgment obtained by party members as the enabling legal basis for the restructuring.
PROFILE: Who is Mao Ohuabunwa?
Born May 24, 1957, in Port Harcourt to parents from Atani in Arochukwu, Abia State, Mao Ohuabunwa began his career in the health sector after earning a degree in Applied Biology from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology in 1982. He established St. Marsons Diagnostic Ltd., which expanded into several states including Yola, Jalingo, Port Harcourt, Lagos, and Abuja.
He first contested for office in 1998, and in 1999 he was elected to the House of Representatives under the PDP, becoming the first person to represent both Arochukwu and Ohafia constituencies. He served two terms (1999–2007), rising to the position of Deputy Leader and leading the South-East caucus.
At the ECOWAS Parliament, he served as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Committee (2001–2003) and later as Treasurer (2004–2007).
Returning to the Senate in 2015 to represent Abia North, Ohuabunwa championed legislative initiatives centered on youth empowerment and regional development. He lost his re-election bid in 2019 to Orji Uzor Kalu and rejected the result, alleging manipulation.
Ohuabunwa holds a Master’s in Human Resource Management and a PhD in Political Science from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. In 2024, he was appointed Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, University of Port Harcourt. He is also a recipient of the National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) and the Distinguished Service Star of Rivers State (DSSRS). A Knight of Saint Christopher in the Anglican Communion, he is regarded as a steady and methodical leader.
He was married to the late Nimi Faith Ohuabunwa, who passed away on July 22, 2023.
A Leadership Test
Ohuabunwa now assumes leadership of the BoT at a time of deep internal contention. Supporters say his calm, consensus-building style could help stabilize the party. However, analysts note that managing factional pressures will be his immediate challenge.
