By Emmanuel Kwada
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has appointed former Senate President Bukola Saraki to chair a seven-member reconciliation committee tasked with uniting aggrieved members ahead of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for May 27, 2025.
The decision was announced following a high-level meeting at the Abuja residence of Bauchi State Governor and PDP Governors’ Forum Chairman, Bala Mohammed, on Sunday night.
The meeting, attended by key party figures including Governors Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Peter Mbah (Enugu), as well as former governors such as Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Achike Udenwa (Imo), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), and Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), aimed to address the PDP’s internal crises that have persisted since the 2023 general elections.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, was present but did not speak to the media.
We are leveraging the experiences of our former governors to foster unity and prepare for a successful convention
Governor Mohammed emphasized the committee’s mandate to resolve internal challenges and ensure a rancour-free NEC meeting and the party’s national convention in August 2025.
“We are leveraging the experiences of our former governors to foster unity and prepare for a successful convention,” Mohammed stated, addressing journalists after the meeting.
The committee, which includes Governors Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Peter Mbah (Enugu), former governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa), and Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe), is expected to engage party stakeholders to mend divisions.
We had productive discussions on the party’s current challenges and its future. I am honored to lead this committee alongside my brothers to ensure a peaceful NEC and convention
Saraki, in a post on X, described the meeting as “fruitful” and expressed confidence in the committee’s ability to deliver a unified NEC session. “We had productive discussions on the party’s current challenges and its future. I am honored to lead this committee alongside my brothers to ensure a peaceful NEC and convention,” he wrote.
The PDP has faced significant internal strife, exacerbated by defections, including that of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his cabinet to the All Progressives Congress (APC), and ongoing conflicts, notably between former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his successor, Sim Fubara.
Mohammed acknowledged these challenges but remained optimistic, stating, “Defections will make us stronger. We are strategizing to reclaim states we previously governed.”
The formation of the Saraki-led committee has been met with positive sentiment on X, with users praising the choice of Saraki for his leadership experience. One post noted, “With Dr. Bukola Saraki leading, progress is the only option,” reflecting confidence in his ability to steer the party toward unity.
Defections will make us stronger. We are strategizing to reclaim states we previously governed
As the PDP prepares for its NEC meeting and national convention, the reconciliation committee’s efforts will be pivotal in restoring cohesion and positioning the party as a formidable opposition force in Nigeria’s political landscape.
