Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party are intensifying efforts to resolve the party’s lingering leadership crisis, with representatives of rival factions set to hold another reconciliation meeting on Monday.
The dialogue will involve allies of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and a bloc backed by several PDP governors as both sides attempt to harmonise conditions for a possible settlement.
Party insiders disclosed that the reconciliation committee—made up of representatives and legal advisers from the two camps—already held an initial meeting on Friday to outline issues that must be addressed before any agreement can be reached.
The crisis has deepened since the disputed convention held in Ibadan last November, which produced a National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki. The convention was backed by PDP governors but later challenged by Wike’s supporters.
In response, Wike’s allies formed a 13-member caretaker committee that named Mohammed Abdulrahman as acting national chairman and Samuel Anyanwu as acting national secretary.
The rivalry escalated when supporters of both factions attempted to hold separate meetings at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, resulting in clashes that forced the Nigeria Police Force to seal the premises.
The leadership dispute also triggered legal battles after both groups sought recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
A recent ruling by the Court of Appeal nullified the Ibadan convention and declared the process that produced the Turaki-led leadership invalid, effectively leaving the party without a recognised national executive.
Following the judgment, the court granted the factions permission to pursue an out-of-court settlement, prompting fresh reconciliation efforts.
Members of the party’s Board of Trustees have since encouraged both sides to negotiate in order to stabilise the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, disagreements remain over the next steps. Some leaders are pushing for a fresh national convention, while others favour installing an interim caretaker committee to oversee the party’s affairs until the elections.
Despite the tensions, Anyanwu expressed optimism that the crisis would soon be resolved and insisted that preparations for a planned national convention were already underway.
According to him, the gathering—expected to produce a new National Working Committee—would proceed as scheduled.
Meanwhile, the North Central Zonal Legal Adviser of the party, Abubakar Issa, criticised reconciliation moves involving Wike, accusing the former Rivers governor of undermining the party after openly supporting President Bola Tinubu during the last election.
Despite the sharp divisions, party leaders say ongoing talks are aimed at restoring unity and positioning the PDP to present strong candidates in the next general elections.
