Despite widening cracks within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), leaders of the opposition party are intensifying reconciliation efforts as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
PDP governors, stakeholders and members of the National Working Committee (NWC) are converging on Zamfara State this weekend for a strategic meeting aimed at strengthening internal cohesion, harmonising interests, and setting the agenda for the party’s forthcoming national convention.
The meeting, hosted by Governor Dauda Lawal, is expected to deliberate on zoning arrangements, party unity, and electoral strategies. Bauchi State Governor and Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, alongside other governors, arrived in Gusau on Friday ahead of the Saturday session.
Party insiders disclosed that the Zoning Committee, chaired by Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri, has recommended that the presidential ticket be zoned “in line with the mood of the nation,” a move interpreted to favour the South. The National Executive Committee (NEC) is scheduled to consider the recommendation at its meeting on Monday.
Meanwhile, the PDP has reportedly continued to pressure former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race. However, divisions persist, with some members aligning with the current leadership and governors, while another faction remains loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike. Wike’s camp has already dismissed resolutions from a recent Southern Leaders’ zoning consultative meeting held in Lagos.
In a statement, Zamfara Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said the meeting would be “a pivotal gathering to deliberate on key political strategies and foster unity within the party.” He added that the governors’ forum would also host a dinner on Friday night before the main session.
The PDP national convention, initially planned as a non-elective gathering, has been converted to an elective one due to internal crises and the resignation of some party officials. It is scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025.
Former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Chief Bode George, has warned that the PDP must take firm action against members undermining its unity. Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS, he said disloyal members should leave the party if they cannot abide by its constitution.
“The PDP is not anybody’s private field. It is an organisation bigger than all of us. Enough is enough,” George declared, stressing that the party must present itself as disciplined and united if it is to regain public confidence and challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
George also reiterated that rotational leadership across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones remains central to the PDP’s identity and the country’s political stability.
The Zamfara meeting is expected to set the tone for wider consultations as the opposition party works to reposition itself as a credible alternative to the APC in the next general elections.
