In a wider consultation on how to address the wave of defections and the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, governors elected on the platform have invited former governors and other stakeholders of the party to a meeting today (Sunday) in Abuja.
Our correspondent gathered from an insider that the governors also summoned members of the Board of Trustees and former presiding officers of the National Assembly.
It was also learnt that the PDP leaders would address key issues, including the upcoming National Executive Committee meeting and the National Elective Convention, at the expanded meeting.
The insider told Sunday PUNCH exclusively that the meeting was expected to be highly tense, as it was meant to prepare party leaders for the upcoming NEC and other pressing matters.
Since the 2023 elections, the PDP has been battling internal crises.
The situation worsened with the conflict between Governor Sim Fubara and Nyesom Wike in Rivers State, along with disagreements over the South-South zonal leadership and the unresolved National Secretary position since December 2024.
Attempts by the party’s leadership bodies, the National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee, and the PDP Governors’ Forum, to mediate have only deepened divisions.
These efforts have led to further splits within the state and zonal chapters of the party.
As the crisis drags on, many party leaders have grown disillusioned, with some defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress and blaming the PDP’s unresolved internal issues.
On April 23, Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, and other officials from the state joined the APC.
National Assembly members have also been leaving the party.
Three Kebbi lawmakers, Senators Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central), Yahaya Abdullahi (Kebbi North), and Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South) joined the ruling party after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu, who has been accused by the opposition of plotting to turn the country into a one-party state.
The departure of the PDP leaders dealt a major blow to the party’s image and weakened its chances ahead of the 2027 elections.
The PDP governors had been meeting to address party matters, but today’s meeting was expanded because of the importance of the agenda, according to the insider.
The source confirmed that the meeting, set to hold at night, would focus on addressing the party’s internal crisis and defections of its key members, among other issues.
He stated, “Yes, the meeting will hold on Sunday. It is no longer just a governors and stakeholders’ meeting, as other key stakeholders, including some former governors, former presiding officers of the National Assembly, and other party leaders, will also participate.
“It is scheduled to take place in Abuja. They are expected to deliberate on a range of critical issues, including defections, the forthcoming NEC meeting, the national convention, and several other pressing matters affecting the party’s unity and direction.
“The meeting will set the tone for future engagements and strategy sessions. It promises to be an important, insightful gathering and a moment of truth for the party’s leadership and direction.”
Confirming the development, the Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, Emmanuel Agbo, stated that the meeting was to discuss key party matters.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH, Agbo explained that the meeting was to secure support for the implementation of decisions made by the governors at their previous gathering in Ibadan.
He stated, “The meeting is going to hold in Abuja tomorrow (Sunday). The invitees are former governors and others. The governors want to meet with the ex-governors that are still in the party to deliberate on party issues.
“The meeting is to get their support for the implementation of all decisions taken during the last PDP Governors’ meeting in Ibadan. They want to get their buy-in as everybody prepares for the National Convention in August. All elders of the party should own the process.”
Also, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, stated that starting with today’s meeting, Nigerians could look forward to a stronger and more effective opposition party.
In an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH, the PDP chieftain said such meetings were part of the party’s established internal processes for resolving internal disputes.
He stated, “What the party leaders are doing, in line with the PDP structures and constitution, gives us confidence that the party will emerge stronger and better from these meetings.
“The Nigerian people will once again be proud to associate with the PDP. We have a proven track record, and we are confident that all these meetings and processes are geared towards building a formidable PDP capable of unseating Tinubu in 2027.
“We call on all PDP members nationwide not to be discouraged by the actions of the APC-led Federal Government. Despite the challenges, it is important that our members remain focused, determined, and committed to the party.”
Defectors have shown true character, say Damagum, NEC member
Meanwhile, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, has said prominent leaders who recently left the party had only shown their true character.
Damagum stated this in an exclusive interview with Sunday PUNCH in Abuja.
Speaking on the recent defection of Senators Aliero, Abdullahi and Maidoki, Damagum said in no distant time, the defectors would soon abandon the APC as well.
He said, “Those who are defecting have no conscience. They have forgotten so easily the power of God to change things within a short period. Does it even make sense? You were elected on the platform of one political party, and you shamelessly left for another party with that mandate. This goes to show the character of these people.
“As for Adamu Aliero and his co-travellers, I can only say this: what pursued them out of the PDP will again take them out of the APC. We know these people and what they stand for. They are people with a history of defection in their political careers.”
He called on party faithful to remain truthful to the party ideals, noting that the 2027 election would offer Nigerians the opportunity to choose between slavery and freedom.
The PDP chieftain further cautioned party leaders making unguarded utterances about the fortune of the party to close ranks for the task ahead.
“The PDP will surely bounce back because it is the party of the people. APC is anti-Nigerians,” he added.
A member of the National Working Committee, Umar Bature, echoed a similar sentiment, urging Nigerians to watch out for the defection of APC members to the PDP.
In a brief interview with Sunday PUNCH, Bature, who is the PDP’s National Organising Secretary, said, “The defections are nothing. Others will join us too. Just wait and see.”
Also speaking, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Mr Kingsley Chinda, attributed the defection to the ruling party as a pointer to the lack of ideology in the nation’s polity.
While admitting that the exit of chieftains from the PDP was worrisome, Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor Federal Constituency, Rivers State, expressed confidence in the ability of the party to resolve its challenges in its forthcoming National Executive Council meeting.
The NEC is scheduled for May 27.
He said, “The continued defection is not just weakening the opposition but the political structure in the country. Can the APC be confident of its membership (both old and new) today? The PDP has scheduled an emergency NEC meeting. That will be an issue for consideration.
“I think that the defections point to one issue — that, as a nation, we need political reorientation. Party ideology is zero, and a constitutional amendment is also necessary. It is now obvious that in Nigeria, every politics is local and more of personal interest.”
PDP puts hope on NEC
In a related development, a former PDP Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Diran Odeyemi, and the Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, expressed optimism that the party would emerge stronger after the NEC scheduled for May 27.
They noted that the gathering offered a crucial opportunity for party leaders to address and settle outstanding issues.
Odeyemi, describing the meeting as the party’s highest decision-making body, called on all members to be present.
He stated, “The NEC is the party’s top decision-making body. We are optimistic and believe this will be the beginning of resolving the internal crisis within the party.”
Commenting, Osadolor noted that the NEC was attracting significant attention due to unresolved issues within the party leadership.
He stated, “Why this one (NEC meeting) is generating a lot of attention is because of some underlying issues that need resolution. I know people want to know about the status of the National Secretary. People want to know the position of the party on major issues. People want to know the status, preparedness, and level of the party’s choice in the general elections.
“And then, the congresses that we’ve had in the past few months are awaiting ratification. So, it’s going to be quite influential, but not out of the ordinary.
“If there’s any way to describe being optimistic, I think I should be more than optimistic. Why shouldn’t I be? Though the party at a time seemed cracked, superior wisdom and advice have prevailed, and the leadership is now acting and speaking as it should. Therefore, I am very optimistic that the party will survive.
“That’s why I think the important thing is that the power and leadership of the party are on course. It’s the responsibility of the leadership to take it upon themselves to play leading roles, as they should, being the leaders of the party.
“So, I believe that good things will come from the PDP. At the end of the day, it will serve the best interest of all Nigerians, having a strong force capable of rescuing the country from the hardship this current government has placed on everyone living in Nigeria, and even those yet to be born.”
(Source: Punch except the headline)
