Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike on Monday extended an olive branch to former members of the Peoples Democratic Party, saying many of those who left did so because of uncertainty within the party rather than disloyalty, as the faction he backs declared its internal crisis over and shifted attention to preparations for the 2027 elections. The meeting, held at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, was led by the Wike-aligned PDP leadership under Abdulrahman Mohammed Takushara and Samuel Anyanwu.
Wike said the ability of the faction to hold its meeting at the PDP national secretariat was proof of its legitimacy. “What shows that you are the authentic PDP is because you are holding your meeting at the National Secretariat,” he said, according to Vanguard. He added that members who defected during the party’s prolonged internal turmoil should not be treated as enemies, arguing that many had left because they were unsure which leadership could validly sign documents for submission to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Most of them may have defected because of uncertainty,” Wike said. “If I want to run an election and I’m not sure who will sign my documents to be presented to INEC, then I will definitely find where I can get succour.” He said the party should now reach out to such members, expressing confidence that some could reconsider and return. Wike also reaffirmed his personal loyalty to the PDP, saying he had remained in the party since 1998 and would not leave.
The comments came as Takushara declared that the PDP faction’s period of uncertainty had ended. According to the report, he told members that the era of crisis was behind them and that the party was now entering a period of strategy, consolidation and electoral preparation. He said the faction was aligning its actions with the constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines, and would conduct transparent and inclusive primaries ahead of future elections.
The meeting is part of a wider power struggle that has split the PDP into rival blocs. Premium Times and Punch previously reported that police unsealed the party’s national secretariat earlier this month and handed it over to the Wike-backed faction after months of closure linked to the leadership crisis. That development strengthened the faction’s claim to operational control, even as rival camps continue to contest legitimacy.
Samuel Anyanwu, the faction’s national secretary, reportedly dismissed suggestions that the party remained divided, insisting there was only one leadership under Takushara. The faction also said it would establish a reconciliation committee and move ahead with a timetable for primaries within the framework of INEC’s election schedule.
Monday’s meeting therefore served two purposes at once: to project stability after months of infighting, and to begin the political work of rebuilding the PDP ahead of 2027. But while Wike’s faction is now presenting itself as the authentic party leadership, the broader PDP crisis is not fully resolved in the public arena, where rival camps still dispute control and direction
