As Saraki, Others Move PDP Out of Crisis Ahead of 2027…

The Peoples Democratic Party last week swam ashore its troubled waters after zoning its presidential ticket to the South ahead of the 2027 polls. With the main opposition party putting the worst behind it, it appears to be on the way to redemption. Adedayo Akinwale reports.

With less than two years to the 2027 general election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be getting it right after a prolonged internal squabble that has brought the party to its knees. 

Recall that at its 102nd National Executive  Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja last week, the PDP reverted to its foundational zoning arrangement for party and public elective offices, including the presidency. It was at the NEC meeting that the party resolved to zone its presidential ticket to the South.

Prior to that, in May, 2025, when the opposition party was neck deep in internal crisis, the PDP Governors Forum set up the eight-man National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee to reconcile the members, resolve all pending issues stalling the holding of its 99th NEC meeting, and then get the party set for its National Convention later in the year.

As at that time, the crisis rocking the main opposition party had become a ticking time bomb ready to detonate at any time. Besides, there were fears that a faction would soon be created within the party with a different apparatus.

However, no faction was created at the end of the day but the governors of Delta and Akwa Ibom States defected from the party to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)).

As if that wasn’t enough, the party suffered a gale of defections even in the National and state Assembles which presented it as a hemorrhaging platform.

While the defection continued unabated, several court cases were fought over who was the party’s authentic National Secretary.

At a point three names were mentioned as National Secretary: Senator Sam Anyanwu who was the incumbent,  another claimant S.K. E Udeh-Okoye, and supposed acting Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo.

Moreso, the Southeast zone of the party was also threatening to pull out of the party if Anyanwu was not replaced as the National Secretary.

It was against this background that the Governor Bala Mohammed-led PDP-Governors’ Forum charged the Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki-led Reconciliation and Strategy Committee to work on and resolve in order to pave the way for a rancour-free 99th NEC meeting and ultimately, a free, unifying National Convention.

Shortly after the committee was inaugurated, the defection became more worrying when Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, ex-Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa, and some Delta State government officials left for the APC.

Several party leaders proferred different solutions to the crisis. Some recommended a hardline approach, but the Saraki-led reconciliation committee members believe that all efforts should be made to avoid adopting measures that will break the dry, bent stick holding the party together, in the process of straightening it.

Following the insistence of the South East zone and Governor Mbah that they would leave the party if they were not allowed to nominate a new national secretary, the Saraki-led committee persuaded them to see reason why the forceful removal of Anyanwu could not be done without opening the party to fresh litigations and rebuke by the INEC.

It was at this point that the committee requested an audience with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the contentious issue of the National Secretary. When it was granted, the members of the committee, including Governor Mbah, and his Bauchi State counterpart, Bala Mohammed who is chairman of the PDP-GF, and some members of the National Working Committee (NWC) attended the meeting where INEC made it clear that Anyanwu remains the party Secretary.

It became clear that any official communication to INEC not signed by Anyanwu, for the period he is still recognised as PDP Scribe will not be honoured.

After the meeting with INEC, the party resolved that the best thing was to maintain the status quo in the party until the national convention when a new leadership will emerge. In other words, to stabilise the party means avoiding rocking the boat and carrying along every leader and member.

Ahead of the 102nd NEC meeting of the party in Abuja, there were speculations that the NEC would witness the suspension of some national officers and top members. Similarly, many party members who had stayed off the party’s activities attended hoping to witness an implosion.

Nevertheless, what those who expected the worsening of the crisis did not realise was that the previous night at the Bauchi Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Saraki, the governors, a few NWC members, and leaders of the party had spoken truth to each other and reason prevailed. They all agreed that everybody who has stayed in the party till this moment will lose if they allow a further degeneration or even perpetuation of the crisis.

Surprisingly, it was resolved at the meeting that the party chairman should be confirmed as substantive chairman to serve for the remaining period of his tenure before the convention. Also, the national secretary, Anyanwu, was assured of his place in the NWC till the period of the convention.

Also, the meeting accepted the recommendations of the zoning committee led by Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State that all party national offices currently in the North should remain in the North while those in the South should equally remain in the South. It also approved the recommendation that having retained the chairmanship position in the North, the Presidential Candidate for the 2027 polls should come from the South.

The main opposition party decided to zone the presidential slot to the South in 2027 in compliance with Section 7 subsection 3 (c) and (d)  of the PDP Constitution “which outlines the party’s commitment to the fair and equitable distribution of resources and the rotation of key political offices to ensure national peace, unity, and power sharing amongst the country’s diverse peoples”.

Since the compromise reached in the zoning of 2027 presidential ticket to the South, the party has been doing everything within its powers to convince former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Presidential candidate of Labour party in the 2023 elections, Mr. Peter Obi to fly the ticket of the party in 2027. The coast is also clear for key members like Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State to contest the party’s ticket.

With the worst behind the PDP,  the false narrative before now that the PDP would break into factions and that anybody hoping to contest for any post on its platform in the 2027 elections runs the risk of being left in limbo as he or she may have its form rejected by INEC because it was signed by a wrong faction or unrecognized official has now evaporated.

The PDP has once again proved that it is neither dead and nor in an intensive care unit. Rather, it is waxing stronger and getting more and more stable.

The party has proven to be the only viable opposition party and the one capable of taking over the government at the centre come 2027.

It’s gradual and fast recovery has again truly shown that any agenda for a one-party state will not work and will collapse on the head of the designers.