PDP searching for peace ahead of 2027

By Oluwaseyi Adedotun 

When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) convened its long-awaited 102nd National Executive Committee (NEC) gathering successful Abuja a mates of weeks ago, casual observers mightiness person dismissed it arsenic conscionable different regular gathering. 

But for veterans of Nigeria’s governmental terrain, this was nary mean assembly. It was a connection of survival, a fragile rebirth for a enactment erstwhile dismissed arsenic politically extinct.

Unlike the erstwhile NEC sessions that collapsed into chaos, rancour and melodramatic walkouts, the 102nd NEC gathering held firm. 

For a governmental organisation battered by post-2023 recriminations, sabotage and bitter interior feuds, the precise information that the NEC convened and ended successful 1 portion was extraordinary. 

In Nigerian politics, wherever the optics could beryllium arsenic decisive arsenic the outcomes, that endurance was itself a victory. The PDP has ever lived dangerously, walking the bladed enactment betwixt illness and resurgence. Its past is fraught with crises that would person killed lesser parties. 

In 2006, the “Third Term” saga astir tore it apart. In 2014, the melodramatic walkout of governors astatine the Eagle Square normal gave commencement to the All Progressives Congress (APC). After the 2019 elections, enactment feuds erstwhile again paralysed its nationalist secretariat.

The 2023 elections represented different low. The G-5 rebellion led by Nyesom Wike openly defied the party’s statesmanlike candidate, Atiku Abubakar. The PDP mislaid not lone astatine the national level but besides its assertion to being Africa’s largest governmental party. Many analysts wrote its obituary.

Yet, the 102nd NEC showed that, existent to form, the PDP retains a endurance instinct. Each rhythm of situation has forced a reinvention. The party’s resilience lies not successful the lack of fractures, but successful its quality to spot them unneurotic capable to stay relevant.

The way to the 102nd NEC 2025 was strewn with landmines, explosive issues that could person sunk the enactment if mishandled. Three things stood out. The National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, became the lightning rod of factional anger. 

A determined propulsion to unseat him threatened a law crisis, 1 that could person crippled the party’s organisational framework. Saraki’s committee diffused this by insisting connected compromise, revalidating Anyanwu’s mandate, and avoiding a destabilising ineligible showdown.

Former Rivers politician and existent FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, loomed implicit the PDP similar a tempest cloud. His defiance successful 2023 was inactive raw. His sympathisers wrong the PDP remained influential and outright confrontation risked different split. 

Saraki’s strategy was containment, not confrontation, keeping Wike’s bloc engaged without letting it predominate until the amiability starring to the NEC.

Perhaps the astir captious responsibility enactment was betwixt PDP governors and the National Working Committee (NWC). Without their cooperation, nary absorption enactment could stand. 

Saraki recognised that APC’s spot successful 2023 was rooted successful the unity of its governors down Bola Tinubu. He worked to rebuild statement betwixt PDP governors and the NWC, a task that paid disconnected astatine the 102nd NEC erstwhile some camps spoke with uncommon unison.

The gathering did not conscionable debar implosion; it produced outcomes that could signifier PDP’s future. Both the National Chairman and Secretary were affirmed successful their positions, silencing rumours of imminent removal and ending months of uncertainty.

The NEC resolved to proceed with its normal plans, signalling organisational readiness alternatively than paralysis. For the archetypal clip since 2023, PDP governors spoke with 1 voice. This unity was described by Bauchi politician Bala Mohammed arsenic “a caller beginning.” 

The gains trickled down. Disillusioned members, agelong weary of elite quarrels, began to spot the PDP arsenic a enactment erstwhile again susceptible of renewal. 

National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, hailed the NEC arsenic “a objection of interior ideology and resilience.” 

Symbolically, the PDP showed it could inactive behaviour orderly meetings. Beyond resolutions, the NEC carried emblematicweight: it proved the PDP was not condemned to irrelevance. Survival itself became a rallying constituent for members.

At the bosom of this turnaround was Bukola Saraki. When helium was...