PDP Crisis: Makinde Camp Opts For Dialogue With Wike Faction

The camp of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to the Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, has opted for reconciliation as a pathway to resolving the lingering leadership crisis rocking the opposition party.

The decision followed a two-day expanded emergency meeting of the camp’s Board of Trustees (BoT), chaired by Adolphus Wabara, a former President of the Senate, which ended in Abuja on Wednesday.

At the end of the meeting, the camp announced the constitution of a reconciliation committee mandated to begin engagement with legal teams and other stakeholders in the party.

The move is widely seen as an attempt to open dialogue with the faction, chaired by Abdulrahman Mohammed is backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

However, the BoT expressed disagreement with Monday’s ruling of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which nullified the party’s November 15, 2025 national convention that produced the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC).

Reading the communiqué after the meeting, Wabara said the party would await legal advice before deciding on its next steps regarding the judgment, while simultaneously pursuing reconciliation with the other faction.

“The BoT is disturbed by the avoidable internal leadership disputes and wranglings leading to damaging litigations with consequential detrimental effect on the unity and smooth running of the PDP as the major opposition party in the country,” Wabara said.

He noted that the board had resolved to take advantage of the reconciliation window suggested by the appellate court in a bid to restore unity within the party.

According to him, the BoT is mindful of the aspirations of party members preparing to contest various positions in the 2027 general elections and believes that resolving the crisis quickly is critical to the party’s political future.

“As the conscience and third highest organ of the party, the BoT is resolved to take immediate steps to reconcile all stakeholders, end all disputes and restore the party to good political health, particularly to enable the PDP field candidates in the 2027 general elections,” he said.

The reconciliation committee is yet to be formally announced, but Wabara disclosed that the process is expected to be concluded within one week.

The BoT also commended the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed and Makinde, for what it described as their commitment and steadfastness to the party and the wellbeing of Nigerians.

Appealing to Nigerians not to lose hope, the board said the PDP was working to reposition itself for the task of rescuing the country from what it described as the stranglehold of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Meanwhile, the Wike-backed faction scheduled its own meeting for Wednesday evening at the Abuja residence of the FCT minister.

It remains unclear how the minister’s allies will respond to the reconciliation initiative.

Some party leaders have called for a reconciliation process that would entail setting up a caretaker committee to run the affairs of the party ahead of the 2027 election.