Two rival factions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have expressed willingness to reconcile amid the prolonged leadership crisis rocking the opposition party, even as both camps exchanged blame over the origin of the dispute.
Supporters loyal to Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and those aligned with Seyi Makinde, Governor of Oyo State, confirmed their openness to dialogue in separate interviews on Saturday.
The development follows an advisory issued by the **Court of Appeal of Nigeria sitting in Ibadan, which urged both factions to resolve their differences amicably for the sake of the party.
The appellate panel, led by Justice Biobele Georgewill, made the recommendation while hearing an appeal filed by one of the factions before adjourning proceedings until March 11.
The court is expected to consider two separate appeals seeking to overturn conflicting judgments earlier delivered by the **Federal High Court of Nigeria in Ibadan and the **Oyo State High Court over the legitimacy of the party’s Ibadan convention.
Both camps have since laid claim to the leadership of the party while seeking official recognition from the **Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The faction backed by Wike, led by National Caretaker Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman, earlier secured a judgment from the Federal High Court in Ibadan on November 25, 2025, which nullified the outcome of the PDP convention held between November 15 and 16, 2025.
The convention had produced a National Working Committee headed by Tanimu Turaki.
However, in a separate ruling delivered on February 25, Justice Ladiran Akintola of the Oyo State High Court upheld the validity of the convention, declaring that it complied with the provisions of the PDP Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The court subsequently affirmed Turaki as the duly elected National Chairman of the party.
Following the contradictory rulings, both factions approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja and Ibadan to challenge the respective judgments.
Reacting to the possibility of reconciliation, acting National Secretary of the Abdulrahman-led caretaker committee, Samuel Anyanwu, said his camp remained open to dialogue.
According to him, although the two factions have not held direct meetings, some stakeholders within the party are already working behind the scenes to mediate.
“For the benefit of doubt, nobody is against reconciliation. We have been asking the other group to return so that we can rebuild the party,” Anyanwu said.
He, however, accused members of the rival faction of prolonging the crisis for personal interests, insisting that the caretaker committee remained the structure recognised by INEC.
Anyanwu also blamed Governor Makinde for the party’s internal divisions, alleging that the Oyo governor was attempting to dominate the PDP structure.
“Governor Makinde is the major cause of the crisis in the party because he wants to ensure he is the only governor remaining in the party,” he claimed.
He also rejected claims that Wike played a role in the crisis, arguing that no PDP governor defected during Wike’s tenure as governor of Rivers State.
But the National Publicity Secretary of the Turaki-led faction, Ini Ememobong, said his group was equally ready for reconciliation but insisted that any settlement must be guided by principles that would strengthen the party.
Ememobong clarified that the Court of Appeal did not issue a final ruling but only advised the factions to explore an internal resolution.
“It is not a ruling; it is an advisory. The judge simply observed that the issue is largely an internal party matter and gave both sides an opportunity to settle,” he said.
He added that the Turaki faction would support any reconciliation process capable of preserving the PDP and repositioning it for future elections.
“We are not opposed to reconciliation, but it must be based on principles that will rebuild the party, guarantee its survival, and position it to win elections,” Ememobong stated.