By Peter Omopo
Amid mounting defections and escalating internal crises, governors elected under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have convened an emergency meeting with key party stakeholders in Abuja to address urgent concerns threatening the party’s unity and future.
The high-stakes meeting, taking place on Sunday night, brings together serving PDP governors, former governors, members of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), and past presiding officers of the National Assembly. Top on the agenda are the recent spate of defections, the forthcoming National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, and preparations for the party’s National Elective Convention scheduled for August.
Party insiders described the meeting as “tense and critical,” signaling what many see as a moment of reckoning for Africa’s once-largest political party. Since the 2023 general elections, the PDP has been gripped by internal strife, exacerbated by the feud between Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike. Additional unresolved issues include the South-South zonal leadership crisis and the prolonged vacancy of the National Secretary position.
Efforts by the party’s leadership organs—the National Working Committee (NWC), BoT, NEC, and the PDP Governors’ Forum—to mediate have largely deepened factional divides, leading to disillusionment among party loyalists.
The party has suffered significant losses in recent weeks, including the defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his predecessor, Ifeanyi Okowa, to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Three PDP senators from Kebbi State—Adamu Aliero, Yahaya Abdullahi, and Garba Maidoki—also switched allegiance to the APC after meeting with President Bola Tinubu. The wave of defections has triggered accusations from the opposition that the APC is attempting to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
Confirming the meeting, Director General of the PDP Governors Forum, Emmanuel Agbo, told Sunday PUNCH that the gathering is designed to build consensus among elder statesmen and secure their backing for decisions reached at the last PDP Governors’ meeting in Ibadan.
“The meeting is about rallying support from former governors and other key figures still in the party. It is aimed at reinforcing the resolutions of our last gathering and ensuring a united front as we approach the National Convention,” Agbo stated.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, also emphasized that the meeting aligns with the party’s internal conflict resolution mechanisms. He expressed optimism that the PDP would emerge stronger.
“These consultations are part of our strategy to rebuild and reposition the party. Nigerians can expect a more vibrant and effective opposition capable of offering credible alternatives in 2027,” Ologunagba said.
The outcome of the meeting is expected to shape the PDP’s trajectory in the months ahead as it works to regain lost ground and solidify its position ahead of the next general elections.
