The two factions of the Peoples Democratic Party have expressed readiness to reconcile over the lingering leadership crisis rocking the party, even as both sides traded accusations over the cause of the dispute.
Both the factions loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said they were open to dialogue in separate interviews with our correspondent yesterday.
The development followed an advisory by the Court of Appeal in Ibadan, Oyo State, urging both sides to resolve their differences amicably in the interest of the party.
The appellate court, led by Justice Biobele Georgewill, gave the advice during the hearing of an appeal filed by one of the factions and subsequently adjourned the case until March 11.
The court is expected to hear the two appeals seeking to set aside conflicting judgments earlier delivered by the Federal High Court, Ibadan, and the Oyo State High Court over the legitimacy of the party’s Ibadan convention.
Both factions have since been laying claim to the leadership of the party while seeking recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The Wike-backed faction, led by the National Caretaker Chairman, Mohammed Abdulrahman, had secured a judgment from the Federal High Court in Ibadan on November 25, 2025, nullifying the outcome of the PDP convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025.
The convention produced the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee.
However, in a separate judgment delivered on February 25, Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court ruled that the convention complied with the provisions of the PDP Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The court consequently affirmed Turaki as the duly elected National Chairman of the party.
Following the conflicting rulings, both factions approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja and Ibadan, seeking to overturn the respective judgments.
Speaking on the possibility of reconciliation, the acting National Secretary of the Mohammed-led caretaker committee, Samuel Anyanwu, said his faction was available to dialogue.
Anyanwu disclosed that although the leadership of the two factions had not met directly, some stakeholders within the party were already making efforts to mediate between both sides.
“For the benefit of doubt, nobody is against reconciliation. We are the ones who have been asking these people (Makinde backed faction) to come back so that we can rebuild our party.
“We have not had meetings together, but some people are trying to mediate on their behalf,” he added.
He, however, accused members of the rival faction of prolonging the crisis for personal interests.
According to him, the caretaker committee remains the only structure recognised by the electoral body to represent the party.
Anyanwu also blamed the crisis on Makinde, accusing him of attempting to dominate the party’s structure.
“Governor Makinde is the major cause of the crisis in the party because he wants to make sure that he is the only governor remaining in the party,” he alleged.
Anyanwu also dismissed suggestions that Wike was responsible for the internal divisions within the PDP, noting that no PDP governor defected during Wike’s tenure as governor of Rivers State.
However, the National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led faction, Ini Ememobong, said his group was equally willing to embrace reconciliation but insisted that any settlement must be guided by principles capable of strengthening the party.
Ememobong clarified that the Court of Appeal did not issue a final ruling but merely advised the factions to resolve their differences internally.
“It is not a ruling; it is an advisory. The judge simply said he had read through the files and that the matter is primarily an internal affair of the party and gave us the opportunity to settle,” he said.
Ememobong added that the court adjourned the matter to allow both factions explore the possibility of reconciliation.
According to him, the Turaki faction supports any reconciliation process that would ensure the survival of the PDP and reposition it for future electoral contests.
“We are not averse to reconciliation, but it must be based on principle. We want reconciliation that will build the party, ensure its survival and position it to win elections,” he added.
