Tension is mounting in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as its top leaders and stakeholders have set tough conditions that must be met before the party’s much-anticipated National Convention can hold. Without these steps, they warned, the gathering would have no legitimacy.
The declaration came after an extended strategy meeting in Abuja, where a coalition of former governors, sitting lawmakers, ministers, and members of the party’s Board of Trustees reviewed the state of the PDP. Reading the communiqué, former Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom emphasized that the very survival of the party depends on fairness, equity, inclusivity, and strict adherence to the rule of law.
Stakeholders described the current moment as a defining crossroads for the PDP, stressing that internal reconciliation and transparent processes will determine whether the party can continue to position itself as Nigeria’s leading opposition force.
Key among their demands is the conduct of fresh and transparent congresses in Ebonyi and Anambra States, along with a new South-East Zonal Congress. They also insisted that the outcome of the South-South Congress, already upheld by the courts, must be recognized without further delay. In Ekiti, they called for the immediate holding of Local Government Congresses in line with existing court rulings, making it clear that no bona fide member of the PDP should be sidelined.
The communiqué further addressed the sensitive issue of zoning. Leaders reaffirmed their support for the recommendations earlier adopted by the National Executive Committee (NEC), which maintained the existing arrangement. They firmly rejected any attempt at micro-zoning, warning that such maneuvers would destabilize the party ahead of the convention. According to them, the office of the National Chairman must remain in the North-Central, in keeping with the zoning formula established at the 2021 convention. Anything short of this, they argued, would undermine the party’s tradition of balance and fairness.
The stakeholders delivered a clear warning: ignoring their resolutions could plunge the party into deeper crisis and render any convention outcomes invalid. “The PDP was founded on inclusivity, justice, and fairness. To regain its pride of place as the true alternative for Nigerians, the party must set aside narrow interests and act in the collective good,” the communiqué read.
Those present at the Abuja meeting included former governors Samuel Ortom, Nyesom Wike, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Okezie Ikpeazu, and Ayodele Fayose. Also in attendance were PDP National Secretary Sam Anyanwu, Senator Phillips Tanimu Aduda, Hon. Micah Jiba, several National Assembly members, and key figures from the Board of Trustees.
