PDP Crisis: Wike-backed convention, threat to ongoing reconciliation – Gbenga Hashim

A presidential hopeful on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Hashim, has cautioned the faction loyal to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, against going ahead with their “factional convention,” warning such a move is a threat to the unity and reconciliation in the party. Hashim described the planned convention […]

A presidential hopeful on the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Hashim, has cautioned the faction loyal to the Federal Capital Territory, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, against going ahead with their “factional convention,” warning such a move is a threat to the unity and reconciliation in the party.

Hashim described the planned convention as a “serious threat to the unity and survival of the PDP,” stressing that both camps had earlier agreed to pursue a unity convention before the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal.

Hashim who has been consistent with the calls for reconciliation in the PDP, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Presidential hopeful alleged that the reconciliation process was derailed by what he termed the activities of a “fifth columnist,” who sabotaged efforts in pursuit of external interests.

“I urge the Wike faction not to renege on the gentleman’s agreement already made. This is about the survival and integrity of the PDP,” Hashim said.

The PDP chieftain also warned against alleged moves to tamper with the executive committees of state chapters, particularly in Plateau, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Kano states, noting that such actions would violate the party’s constitution.

Hashim maintained that the tenures of state executives are fixed and cannot be arbitrarily altered, cautioning against “exporting the national leadership crisis into otherwise stable state structures.”

Hashim identified the authentic state chairmen in the affected states as Hon. Raymond Dabo (Plateau), Hon. Adamu Ninga (Nasarawa), Hon. Edward Percy Masha (Kaduna), and Hon. Yusuf Ado Kibiya (Kano), insisting that their mandates must be respected.

He warned that imposing parallel structures in states without internal disputes could deepen the crisis and weaken the party’s cohesion ahead of future elections.

The presidential aspirant further cautioned that key actors in the ongoing dispute risk emerging as political losers if they fail to resolve their differences and adhere strictly to an agreed framework for power-sharing and the harmonisation of the National Working Committees of the rival factions.

Hashim called on all stakeholders to return to the negotiation table and conclude work on a unified leadership structure, stressing that any factional convention at this time would ultimately produce a lose-lose outcome for the party.

He reiterated that unity remains the only viable path for the PDP to regain its strength, credibility and electoral competitiveness ahead of the elections.