Fresh cracks have emerged within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as key governors, Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed, voiced opposing positions on reconciliation efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during a visit to Bauchi, Makinde warned that aligning with the AbdulRaman Muhammad-led National Caretaker Working Committee (NCWC), reportedly backed by Nyesom Wike, could amount to indirectly supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“I said earlier that Wike had promised to hold the PDP for Mr President towards 2027. So, anyone dealing with Wike and his group… it means you have agreed to support Tinubu,” Makinde declared, insisting that despite losing control of government structures, the PDP still enjoys grassroots support.
However, Makinde stopped short of outlining a clear alternative path for resolving the party’s internal crisis.
In contrast, Bala Mohammed struck a more conciliatory tone, expressing optimism that the party would overcome its divisions. He noted that reconciliation efforts were already being shaped by legal developments and could unify the party before the next election cycle.
“Reconciliation is not something we initiated; it has been guided by a competent court,” Mohammed said, adding that differences within the party remain resolvable.
The PDP has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership tussle between factions loyal to the NCWC and a rival group led by Tanimu Turaki, with disagreements delaying reconciliation talks aimed at restoring party unity.
Meanwhile, political consultations intensified across party lines. Makinde also met with New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) leader Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in Kano, further fuelling speculation of broader political alliances ahead of 2027.
Kwankwaso has recently hosted high-profile figures, including former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and Senator Seriake Dickson, who is reported to have moved to the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), one of the newly registered parties by INEC.
Efforts to salvage the PDP are being spearheaded by party stalwarts such as Bukola Saraki, Ahmed Makarfi, and Jerry Gana. The leaders are currently holding consultations to bridge the divide between factions ahead of the party’s March 29–30 national convention in Abuja.
The reconciliation push gained momentum following a ruling by the Court of Appeal, which nullified the November 2025 PDP convention in Ibadan that produced the Turaki-led National Working Committee. The judgment effectively reinstated the AbdulRaman Muhammad-led NCWC.
Beyond PDP politics, Obi continued his nationwide engagement tour with a visit to Kaduna, where he met stakeholders including gubernatorial aspirant Ahmed Tijjani and Senator Lawal Adamu.
Obi emphasised the need for competent and people-focused leadership, describing Kaduna as a strategic state with historic importance in Nigeria’s unity, as well as a key hub for industry, agriculture, and commerce.
He expressed optimism that with disciplined governance, Kaduna and Nigeria at large could regain its lost economic strength and social cohesion.