Barring any last-minute changes, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the PDP Governors Forum will hold a crucial meeting on May 11, aimed at halting ongoing defections and addressing internal crises threatening the party’s cohesion.A senior NWC member, who spoke anonymously due to lack of authorisation, confirmed the meeting will focus on key issues including the recent defections, the legal status of the National Secretary, and the future direction of the party. The meeting is seen as pivotal in stabilizing the party following the dramatic defection of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and other top figures to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on April 23. Among those who defected was former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, PDP's 2023 vice presidential candidate.
The NWC has mandated the party’s Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade SAN, to initiate legal action aimed at reclaiming mandates lost through the defections, particularly in Delta State. Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum reinforced this stance during the NWC’s 600th meeting in Abuja, asserting that the party will not allow its mandate to be hijacked by rivals.
Damagum dismissed speculation of internal division, stating, “We may have our issues, but PDP has always resolved its crises. The party is intact. Anyone citing division as an excuse to defect is simply looking for justification for their own decisions.”
He emphasized that the Electoral Act provides grounds for recovering mandates from defectors and reiterated that the PDP remains united, resilient, and focused on the 2027 elections, despite recent challenges.
“The PDP has survived more severe political storms in the past,” he added. “This latest wave is nothing but child’s play.”
Damagum also announced that the NWC has endorsed recommendations made by the PDP Governors Forum—most notably, the endorsement of Deputy National Secretary Architect Setonji Koshoedo and the proposal to hold an early National Elective Convention in August to elect a new NWC. These recommendations will be forwarded to the National Executive Committee (NEC) for deliberation on May 27.
A caretaker committee, led by Chief Emmanuel Ogidi, has also been constituted to restructure and stabilize the party in Delta State, following the high-profile defections.
When asked if the party would sanction members openly aligning with President Tinubu, Damagum confirmed: “Yes, very well.”
In a related development, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied claims by Okowa that he is preparing to leave the PDP. Okowa, now a member of the APC, had alleged in an Arise News interview that Atiku might soon leave the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku, who ran as PDP’s presidential candidate in 2023 with Okowa as his running mate, had on March 20, 2023, joined forces with Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and others to form a coalition aimed at challenging President Tinubu in the next election—a move that has triggered debate over the formation of a united opposition.
Okowa, reflecting on his role in the 2023 election, expressed regret for not aligning with the southern agenda. “Even during the campaign, I realized our people didn’t want another northerner in power,” he said. “I now believe I should have listened to them.”
He, however, defended his legacy, pointing to the election of Oborevwori as evidence of continued public trust in his leadership. “The people believed in me and supported the governor I endorsed,” he said.
Okowa also revealed that he had communicated with Atiku before his defection, informing him of planned stakeholder meetings that would determine their political future within the PDP. “We were no longer comfortable in the PDP,” he said.
As the PDP leadership braces for the May 11 meeting, the outcome is expected to shape the party's recovery strategy and electoral positioning ahead of 2027.
ADEOLA KUNLE
