The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and National Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nyesom Wike, has issued a direct appeal to aggrieved members who abandoned the party, assuring them that their political entitlements remain intact should they choose to return.
Speaking at the 108th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the PDP held on Monday at Wadata Plaza, Abuja, Wike declared that many who left did so not out of genuine grievance but from uncertainty and a search for political shelter elsewhere. He therefore urged the party leadership to prioritise reconciliation without delay.
“Chairman and your team should put in place a strong committee to reach out to those who are aggrieved,” Wike said. “There is room for them to come back, and whatever is due to them will still be given.”
The former Rivers State governor insisted that the PDP must close ranks quickly, warning that persistent internal wrangling could severely weaken the party’s chances in future elections. He acknowledged that crises are inevitable in political life but stressed that resolution, not prolongation, defines success.
“In life, there must be a period of crisis. What matters is how we resolve the crisis. Now that we are together, we must not stop at reconciliation,” he stated.
Wike also moved to quell speculation about his own loyalty, reaffirming his deep-rooted commitment to the party he has called home since 1998. Despite ongoing tensions and realignments within the opposition space, he declared that he has no intention of defecting.
“I have been a member of this party since 1998 and I will not leave. Whatever happens, we will continue to live as members of the PDP,” he said.
He further called for transparency and openness in party affairs, arguing that such measures would rebuild confidence among the rank and file and attract back those who had drifted away.
“If you engage them, they will understand and support the party. There is need for openness so that we can achieve the unity we desire,” Wike added, while expressing confidence in the party’s legal team to handle outstanding disputes.
Earlier, the PDP National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, signalled a fresh start for the opposition party, declaring that the era of uncertainty had been left behind. He promised that the party would strictly follow the Electoral Act and the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in conducting its congresses.
“The era of uncertainty is behind us. The era of strategy, consultation, and electoral preparation has begun,” Mohammed said, vowing transparent and credible congresses across all levels.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Mao Ohuabunwa, stressed that unity must remain the party’s top priority. He urged members to bury their differences, warning that there is no room for exclusion if the PDP must regain its footing nationally.
Ohuabunwa also called for discipline and strict adherence to the party’s constitution, while commending recent reforms such as the e-registration initiative aimed at strengthening internal processes and repositioning the PDP for the challenges ahead.
The NEC meeting, which held at the party’s national secretariat, is widely seen as a critical step toward healing the fractures that have plagued the PDP since the last general election, as the opposition seeks to present a united front ahead of the next electoral cycle.
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