The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a reconciliation committee to address disagreement among the ranks of the party.
The BoT Chairman, Sen. Adolfus Wabara made this known while addressing news men in Abuja on Thursday after an emergency meeting of the BoT.
Abdulrahman Mohammed on Tuesday assumed office as acting National Chairman of the party which led to tension at the National Secretariat and subsequent shutdown of the complex by security operatives.
He came in company of supporters chanting solidarity songs and demanded that the National Working Committee, led by Umar Damagum, vacate the headquarters immediately.
Wabara expressed worry over the recent developments within the ranks of the party that caused understandable concerns, tensions, misunderstandings and regrettable incidents that played out in public.
According to him, the invasion of the national secretariat does not reflect the ideals and character of the PDP.
“As the conscience of the party, the BoT cannot and will not take sides, but remain focused on safeguarding the integrity of the PDP and ensuring dialogue over discord.
“The decision for reconciliation, not as a sign of weakness, but as a demonstration of maturity and responsibility.
“Against this backdrop, the BOT sets up a high powered committee to immediately reconcile all conflicting sides and restore unity of purpose to our party as we head to the elective National Convention in Ibadan.
“The BoT reconciliation committee draws its members from all geo-political zones with Amb. Hassan Adamu, (North East) as Chairman and Chief Mike Abiadome, (South-Sourh) as Secretary.
“The BoT mandated the reconciliation committee to report back on it on Tuesday, Nov. 11, for further action,” he said.
He reaffirmed that the PDP remained a united, formidable and focused political party under the leadership of Umar Damagum led National Working Committee (NWC).
Earlier at the opening ceremony of the emergency meeting, the acting National Chairman of the party, Damagum, announced that the 2025 Elective National Convention would go on as scheduled for Nov. 16.
Damagum said the assurance followed a landmark court ruling that affirmed the party’s right to hold the exercise.
He said the decision of Justice Akintola, delivered on Nov. 4, had cleared all legal hurdles that previously threatened to stall the convention.
According to him, the judgment reaffirmed the supremacy of the law and internal democracy in political party affairs.
“Justice Akintola delivered a landmark ruling affirming that our party has sufficiently satisfied all provisions of the law and therefore retains the constitutional right to organize its internal democratic processes.
“In this era of judicial intimidation and moral compromise, what Justice Akintola did is an act of courage. His judgment is not just a victory for our party, but for democracy itself,” he said.
Damagum said that courage and integrity must guide the incoming National Working Committee (NWC), urging delegates to elect leaders capable of reviving the party’s structures and mobilising new supporters nationwide.
He said that Nigeria’s democracy was facing new threats, including “foreign interference and security challenges,” and said the PDP must provide visionary leadership even while in opposition.
The acting national chairman called for unity and strategic planning ahead of the convention, reaffirming that the PDP remained committed to strengthening democracy in Nigeria.
