PDP leaders weigh Saraki model to resolve party crisis

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are reportedly considering a return to the reconciliation model earlier proposed by former Senate President Bukola Saraki to resolve the crisis that has polarised the party. Sources in the party’s two factions said the renewed interest in the Saraki formula followed correspondence from the Independent National Electoral Commission […]

Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are reportedly considering a return to the reconciliation model earlier proposed by former Senate President Bukola Saraki to resolve the crisis that has polarised the party.

Sources in the party’s two factions said the renewed interest in the Saraki formula followed correspondence from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declining to recognise the Tanimu Turaki-led national working committee (NWC).

In a letter dated December 22, made public on Tuesday, INEC informed the party’s legal representatives, Akintayo Balogun & Co, that it could not recognise the Turaki-led NWC because the matter remains sub judice. The commission said it could not take any administrative action that might pre-empt the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings.

The Turaki-led NWC is backed by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed.

The November convention that produced a new set of national officers followed a series of conflicting court rulings. While some Federal High Courts in Abuja issued orders restraining the PDP from holding the convention over alleged breaches of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act, an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan cleared the party to proceed and directed INEC to monitor the exercise.

A rival faction opposed to the Ibadan convention, led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, later announced a parallel NWC, board of trustees (BoT) and national executive committee (NEC). Both factions also traded expulsions, with the Makinde faction expelling Wike and his allies, while the Wike faction announced the expulsion of Governors Makinde, Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and their supporters.

INEC had summoned the two factions last week to a roundtable meeting aimed at finding a solution to the division, particularly as preparations begin for the 2026 FCT area council polls.

Against this backdrop, party sources said PDP leaders are increasingly wary of allowing the dispute to be resolved solely by the courts, fearing the process could deepen the crisis by producing clear winners and losers.

“The next move is to return to the Saraki formula. As the former governor of Kwara State advised, we should not wait for the courts to deliver judgments in any of the cases, as that will only worsen the situation,” one party leader, who asked not to be named, said.

“We are engaging among ourselves and discussing ways to resolve the disagreements. That is the direction the leaders are heading, and we have learnt that Saraki and some others are already making efforts to bring the party together,” the source added.

Saraki, who previously chaired the party’s reconciliation committee, had advised PDP leaders to manage their affairs in a way that would eliminate the need for litigation, warning that prolonged court battles could stall the party’s progress and undermine its unity. He also cautioned against factionalisation, saying it would only play into the hands of the party’s opponents.

He urged party leaders to work towards an all-encompassing national convention, rather than the fractured one held in Ibadan, arguing that such a convention could address outstanding issues, review the party’s constitution and chart a clear path forward.

 

Factions give conditions for reconciliation

When contacted, Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led NWC, said the faction is open to reconciliation and has been engaging with party leaders to achieve an amicable resolution to the crisis. He cited recent interactions with the Board of Trustees, former governors, former ministers, and former NWC members as part of these efforts.

Ememobong, however, added a caveat, saying that reconciliation can only proceed with the formal recognition of the legality of the Ibadan convention by all parties.

Timothy Osadolor, a chieftain of the Wike-led faction, countered that for reconciliation to succeed, there must first be agreement that the Ibadan convention was illegal and a willingness to move forward on that basis.

 

Analyst: Late but not too late

Commenting on the development, political analyst Professor Abubakar Kari of the University of Abuja said the move may appear late, but the real concern is whether the two factions involved will agree to come to the table, given how far each has committed to the feud.

“Politicians are never short of suggestions, formulas, strategies and approaches to addressing their problems. Politics is about reconciling contending interests. What is beyond ordinary individuals is rarely beyond politicians. They can attempt to address any problem, however complex,” Kari said.

“But my worry is whether all the contending forces are favourably disposed to meet, particularly the Makinde group. They have invested so much; they have gone very far. Until it happens, I remain doubtful about its workability. Yes, it may present the most realistic alternative for an amicable resolution.”

“They are running out of time. The PDP, as a party, is under pressure, so ordinarily this should be welcome. But each party to the dispute has reasons not to accept this as an alternative,” he added.

Kari noted that should the parties agree, it is not too late, even with the pending Court of Appeal cases. “I am not a lawyer, but a litigant can withdraw a case at any point, even near judgement. There is still time for political parties, including the PDP, to organise themselves ahead of conventions and primaries in the first half of 2026. It is late, but not too late.”

On the party’s prospects, Kari said: “Political dynamics are unpredictable. The PDP has lost ground due to the prolonged conflict and internal jockeying. It also faces competition from the ADC and APC. But in Nigerian politics, fortunes can change quickly. Nominating a strong presidential candidate could dramatically shift the party’s prospects. While challenges remain, it would be wrong to rule out the PDP entirely.”