PDP Crisis Deepens—Saraki Steps In to Stop the Bleeding
Byline: IDNN Political Strategy Desk – Abuja Bureau
With internal strife threatening to tear the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) apart, party elders have pulled a bold move—appointing former Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki to head a seven-member reconciliation committee. The mandate? Save the soul of the party before it implodes.
Announced Monday by Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, the Saraki-led team has one mission: patch up the party’s festering wounds before the May 27 NEC meeting and the August 2025 elective convention.
“There are existential issues at stake,” Governor Mohammed admitted. “This team will close ranks, engage discontented leaders, and restore unity before our critical national convention.”
Fallout After 2023: Party in Freefall
Since the 2023 general elections, the PDP has seen crisis after crisis:
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Rivers implosion between Sim Fubara and Nyesom Wike
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A South-South leadership vacuum
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The resignation of the National Secretary
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And the hammer blow: defections to APC, including Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and ex-Gov Ifeanyi Okowa
“Rather than weakening us, this is making us stronger,” Mohammed insisted. But insiders know the house is wobbling—and Saraki’s mission is a last-ditch effort to stabilize the structure.
Saraki’s Task: Mend, Motivate, Mobilize
PDP sources say Saraki’s selection wasn’t just symbolic—it was strategic. A two-time governor, ex-Senate President, and powerbroker, Saraki understands political repair.
“His role is to reach out swiftly, rebuild trust, and deliver a united party by convention time,” one insider said.
The committee is expected to engage aggrieved governors, party elders, and zonal leaders whose loyalty is either fading—or already flipped.
Convention or Collision?
The PDP convention slated for August 2025 is shaping up as make-or-break. A divided PDP heads into it weakened. A reconciled PDP? Still a threat in 2027.
Mohammed confirmed, “We will provide a level playing field. We know the chapters where we are strong—and we will defend them.”
But there are legal landmines too. Court cases, power tussles, and ideological battles still threaten to fracture efforts.
Strategic Clarity, Or Tactical Desperation?
With APC gaining ground, the PDP knows it must evolve or dissolve. Saraki’s appointment sends a signal: the party is not going down without a fight.
Whether this reconciliation committee can truly stitch the party back together—or simply delay its unraveling—remains to be seen.
