BY BEN OGBEMUDIA
Amid growing internal discord and a wave of high-profile defections, panic has gripped the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), prompting its governors to convene an expanded emergency meeting in Abuja.
Sunday’s closed-door session brought together not just sitting governors but also former governors, ex-National Assembly leaders, and members of the party’s Board of Trustees. The goal: to arrest the deepening crisis ahead of the party’s crucial National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and the August National Convention.
A party insider described the situation as a “make-or-break moment” for the PDP.
“This is a defining period for the party’s leadership and its very survival,” the source said.
Since its defeat in the 2023 general elections, the PDP has been plagued by internal strife—most notably the unrelenting feud between Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, now FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike. Intra-party conflicts in the South-South and other zones have further splintered the PDP’s fragile unity. The prolonged vacancy in the office of the National Secretary since December 2024 has only added fuel to the fire.
Despite repeated interventions by the National Working Committee (NWC), Board of Trustees (BoT), NEC, and the PDP Governors’ Forum, reconciliation efforts have failed to hold the party together. The fallout? A steady stream of defections to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Among the most notable losses were Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa, and several top officials who defected to the APC on April 23. In a more recent blow, three PDP senators from Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero, Yahaya Abdullahi, and Garba Maidoki, also jumped ship after meeting with President Bola Tinubu. Opposition figures now accuse Tinubu of orchestrating a drift toward one-party rule.
Emmanuel Agbo, Director-General of the PDP Governors’ Forum, confirmed the objective of the emergency meeting:
“It’s about building consensus around the resolutions of the last Ibadan retreat and forging a united front as we head into the National Convention.”
PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba echoed the sentiment, framing the flurry of consultations as proof of the party’s resilient internal democracy.
“These discussions are vital to restoring the PDP’s strength and positioning us to challenge the APC effectively in 2027,” he said.
Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum didn’t mince words, lambasting recent defectors as opportunists without political conviction.
“These individuals rode into office on the PDP platform and shamelessly turned coat. History will repeat itself, they’ll face the same frustrations in the APC.”
House Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda, who represents Obio/Akpor in Rivers State, described the defections as a threat to Nigeria’s political foundation.
“This country is bleeding from a lack of political ideology. We need urgent constitutional reform and a reawakening of civic values,” he said.
Still, despite the turmoil, National Organising Secretary Umar Bature remained optimistic.
“The defections are a phase. Many will return. Just wait, this story isn’t over.”