A key meeting within Nigeria’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is underway in Abuja, as the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) led by Tanimu Turaki convenes with the Board of Trustees (BoT) chaired by Adolphus Wabara. The closed-door session marks the third such gathering this week, underscoring intensified efforts to resolve internal divisions ahead of the party’s national convention.
The talks follow a similar meeting on Wednesday where the Turaki-led NWC expressed openness to reconciliation with the faction aligned with Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike. Both sides have since indicated positive momentum toward a truce. However, the Abdulrahman Mohamed-led caretaker committee, which enjoys Wike’s support, has stipulated conditions for any settlement. Central among these is the non-negotiable holding of the PDP’s national convention, scheduled for March 29–30.
High-profile figures are in attendance at the current meeting, including Turaki, Wabara, former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu, former Kano State Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, and former Information Minister Professor Jerry Gana. Their presence highlights the seniority and significance attached to the dialogue.
The meeting unfolds against a backdrop of protracted factionalism within the PDP, one of Nigeria’s major political parties. The rift primarily pits the NWC against the Wike-aligned caretaker committee, which was installed to oversee party affairs but has faced legitimacy challenges. The impending convention is a critical juncture, intended to elect new national leaders and formally end the interim administration.
A successful reconciliation would pave the way for a unified convention, presenting a stronger front for the party ahead of future elections. Failure to agree could lead to parallel events or prolonged legal battles, further weakening the PDP’s cohesion. Observers note that the BoT’s role as an intermediary is pivotal, given its constitutional authority as the party’s highest advisory body.
The avenues for compromise likely involve power-sharing arrangements and guarantees for key factions within the convention’s electoral process. While both sides have publicly endorsed dialogue, the caretaker committee’s insistence on the convention proceeding as planned remains a firm benchmark.
The outcome of this third weekly meeting could determine whether the PDP enters its convention with a unified ticket or fractured camps. All eyes are on Abuja as the party’s elder statesmen and sitting officers navigate a delicate path toward consensus, with the convention’s viability hanging in the balance.
