•Bukola Saraki
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a committee headed by a former Senate president, Bukola Saraki, to reconcile aggrieved members ahead of its National Executive Council Meeting.
This was disclosed at the end of a meeting held at the Abuja lodge of the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum and Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, last night, reports Channels TV.
The meeting also had the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, in attendance. He, however, did not speak to journalists.
Some of the governors present at the meeting included Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Peter Mbah (Enugu).
Others were former governors of Cross River, Liyel Imoke, Achike Udenwa of Imo, Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia, and Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa
The PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagun, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman, Ahmed Markafi, and some other members of the party’s National Working Committee also attended the meeting.
Briefing journalists, the Bauchi governor said the meeting was convened ahead of the party’s scheduled NEC, which has been slated for the end of May.
According to him, the invitation of the former governors was done to tap from their experiences, so they could resolve some of the internal challenges and prepare the ground for a rancour-free NEC meeting and a national convention later in the year.
Asked about the recent defection of PDP members, the Bauchi State governor said the development would rather make them stronger.
He, however, disclosed that the party was strategising to ensure that some of the states where the party had governors were reclaimed.
There have been concerns over the defection of the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, and his cabinet to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The opposition party has been battling internal crises since the 2023 general elections.
The situation worsened with the conflict between a former governor of Rivers State and his successor, Sim Fubara.
Several attempts by the party’s leadership, including the National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee, and the PDP Governors’ Forum, to mediate have not resolved the crisis.
On April 23, Oborevwori, a former governor of Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa, and other officials from the state joined the APC.
At the National Assembly, 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.
Many opposition leaders saw the development as a plot to turn the country into a one-party state.
