In a strategic move to prevent a full-blown internal crisis and stem the tide of defections, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has constituted a high-level reconciliation committee headed by former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
The committee, which included key stakeholders such as former Governors Ibrahim Dankwambo and Ibrahim Shema, is expected to interface with aggrieved members and party leaders ahead of the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Thursday, May 16.
Highly placed party sources confirmed that the intervention followed increasing concerns about divisions within the party ranks, particularly fallout from recent disagreements and calls for a leadership overhaul.
Dr. Saraki and other committee members held separate meetings with several key figures on Sunday and Monday in Abuja, including Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and acting PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
The outcome of these meetings is expected to shape the direction of the NEC meeting, which many believe could redefine the party’s leadership structure and strategic focus heading into future elections.
A source at one of the meetings noted: “The party leadership is trying to avoid a repeat of the crisis that cost us electoral victories in the past. This committee is to listen and offer a path forward for unity.”
The committee’s intervention comes amid a power struggle between factions loyal to Atiku Abubakar and those aligned with Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, which has polarized the party in recent months.
Insiders believed that the reconciliatory effort is the last major attempt to preserve party unity and credibility before critical decisions are made at the NEC meeting.
