Backing Tinubu Is Immoral, Says PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party led by Tanimu Turaki has said it would be “immoral and unjust” for the party to endorse President Bola Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The National Publicity Secretary of the faction, Ini Ememobong, stated this on Thursday during an appearance on The Morning Show on Arise Television.

“It is improper, it is immoral, it is unjust, it is unfair for an opposition party of the standing of the Peoples Democratic Party to endorse the presidency or the presidential candidature of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, APC,” he said.

He noted that the party’s ongoing reconciliation process must be guided by logic rather than sentiment stating, “So it’s part of the underpinning principle. We are hoping that reason will prevail over emotions.”

He stressed that the Turaki-led faction insists that any reconciliation effort must strengthen the party’s role as an opposition, rather than reduce it to a subordinate position.

THE WHISTLER reports that the party’s internal crisis appears to be easing, as the Turaki and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, factions have resumed reconciliation talks ahead of the March 29–30, 2026, national convention.

Turaki, whose bloc is backed by PDP governors, confirmed that a fresh reconciliation effort had commenced, aimed at uniting aggrieved factions within the party.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, he disclosed that the talks, which began on Tuesday night, were already yielding positive results.

He noted that stakeholders were mindful of the implications of the dispute, especially in light of timelines set by the Electoral Act, and urged all sides to act in the overall interest of the party.

The former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs also expressed confidence in the possibility of resolving the crisis, including with the Wike-led faction.

Turaki pledged to deploy all available means to achieve peace, adding that all pending court cases would be withdrawn once the reconciliation process is concluded.

But speaking on the reconciliation process, Ememobong said the PDP must establish an independent conflict resolution system capable of addressing internal disputes before they escalate.

He stressed that the absence of a structured and neutral mechanism to manage disagreements has contributed to the recurring crises within the PDP.

He noted that although efforts are currently underway to reconcile aggrieved factions through direct dialogue, the party must look beyond immediate resolutions and prioritise long-term institutional reforms.

“Going forward, the party needs to have an independent machinery that stands ready to check conflicts. Because you don’t allow conflict to get to the boiling point before you intervene,” he said.

Ememobong explained that the party’s previous reconciliation efforts, including the 2025 committee led by Bukola Saraki, were hindered by concerns over neutrality.

He argued that any effective reconciliation process must be anchored on impartiality to ensure outcomes acceptable to all parties involved.

However, In contrast, he said the current reconciliation effort differs significantly, as opposing factions are engaging directly without intermediaries.

While this approach may foster more transparent dialogue, he cautioned that it also carries the risk of deadlock in the absence of neutral arbiters.

“If the negotiations break down, the parties themselves would have been unable to reach an agreement,” he noted.

Ememobong further traced the roots of the ongoing crisis to longstanding internal disagreements dating back several years, which intensified after the party’s loss of power in 2015 and further deepened following the Ibadan convention in November 2025.

Looking ahead, he proposed the creation of an independent conflict management framework, potentially involving external professional bodies such as arbitration and mediation institutes, to provide neutral oversight in times of internal disputes.

According to him, such a system would function as an early warning mechanism, identifying and addressing tensions before they spiral into full-blown crises.

Although he acknowledged that establishing such a mechanism within a political party may be challenging due to competing interests among stakeholders, he maintained that it is necessary to safeguard the party’s unity and prevent future breakdowns.