The chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, Bala Mohammed, has said only a transparent national convention of the party would be the game changer for the turnaround of the party.
This came as the acting national chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum, claimed that some members of the party, who initially joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have started coming back to the party.
Also, a former President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has said the outcome of Thursday’s NEC meeting was an indication that the Reconciliation and Strategy Committee that he headed was delivering on its assignment.
The 101 NEC meeting was observed by five officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to Mohammed, ‘’Only a transparent and a successful national convention will help heal this self-inflicted wound. We would be taken serious as a party when we conduct a transparent and successful national convention. This would be a game changer for us.
‘’This is a long way we have travelled. This is how PDP is known, a party with a history, with a logo that has not changed over the years. The party that has shown resilience, and we have the governors solidly behind all the organs of the party. We don’t have to make a lot of noise.
“We are working behind the scene, behind the NWC, behind the BoT, the caucuses of the National Assembly and the six chapters to ensure that we remain intact and provide a credible platform for Nigerians to actualise their aspirations.
‘’As the BoT Secretary has said, this is not time for calling names. This is not time for abusers. We sympathise for those who became impatient and left but certainly they will understand and we would still leave the door ajar for them to come in when they wish to, within a time limit.
‘’We will not continue to condone indiscipline in this place, because indiscipline is what brought us all the problems and challenges. Definitely, the party has shown resilience, and the governors are going through a lot of challenges, just like the NWC. We will continue to express confidence in the organs of the party.”
Continuing, he said, “Now with the necessary recognition by the regulator INEC, at the end of the day, we’ll give the APC political party a run for their money in terms of contest that will be given on a level playing field with a party that is intact, and also give answer to our people wishing to come in.
‘’In terms of whatever permutation or conjecture we call it, whether it is coalition, whether it is alliance, it is the PDP that should be able to drive it, because it is the main opposition party,’’ Mohammed stated.
Damagum, on his part, said, “On this issue of coalition, ‘I am pleased to report that this political experiment is nothing to lose sleep over. They say, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Some persons have recently learned this truth in the most uncomfortable way.
“Many who jumped on the coalition bandwagon have already returned to our fold. Some even claim they never left and merely attended a meeting, we accept their confessions without prejudice.
‘’Let me add that this reversal is not limited to PDP members alone. Individuals from other political parties, who initially joined this coalition have realised that the venture is ill-fated and their swift return is proof of this.
‘’The Peoples Democratic Party remains the only party that is not only poised and ready to take back power, but also the only party with the structure, national acceptability, and legacy capable of bearing the weight of this great national undertaking.
“To close this matter, I believe that all of us look forward to the total dismantling of this ill-fated coalition, even as we extend our best wishes to those involved.’’
Saraki, in a statement personally signed, said, “Our great party, the PDP, successfully held its 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting today. Several issues were successfully resolved during the meeting.
“These include the constitution of a committee to organise the National Convention, which has now been fixed for November 15th and 16th in Ibadan, Oyo State, and the setting up of the Zoning Committee for allocation of party offices to the various geo-political zones.
“The meeting saw the returned national secretary, Sen. Sam Anyanwu, and the Ag. National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, working together peacefully with the rest of the NWC members.
“This will finally allay the fears of those who speculated that the national secretary would return to frustrate the party’s move to hold a successful NEC meeting and undermine the efforts to hold a national convention.
“To confirm that the party is toeing the path of legality and following due process, we invited observers from the regulator, INEC to witness the deliberations at the NEC meeting. This is a milestone for us as a party.
“I am particularly elated that with the success of today’s meeting, the Reconciliation and Strategy Committee headed by me has achieved parts of the mandate given to us by the PDP Governors Forum on May 12, 2025.
“We were mandated to clear all obstacles preventing the party from holding its NEC meeting and moving on to have a hitch-free national convention.
“The outcome of today’s meeting is an indication that our committee is delivering on our assignment. The NEC meeting was successfully held. Also, the machinery for a successful convention has been set in motion,” he said,
He, however, explained that, “What is left is for all of us to continue working towards the success of the national convention in Ibadan. I am very sure that all is set for the PDP to move into a new frontier as a solid platform that will truly serve Nigeria and provide good governance for her people.”
Also, the chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Adolphus Wabara represented by the Secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said the meetings of Wednesday and on Thursday had started yielding results.
‘’These meetings are very, very critical. We thank God that stability that has returned to the party. We have to build on that stability, but we must never take things for granted, because for one reason or the other, some of our friends and associates have left us.
“I don’t believe they have left us for good. I believe, when you look at the agenda, the success of the items scheduled is what will bring most of them back. I cannot say all of them, we can even bring new hands into the PDP.
‘’So the ball is in our court, not only to discuss and approve the items on the agenda, but to make sure the outcome of the schedule National Convention sends a strong positive message to Nigerians, because that is what is going to define the political landscape in this country.
‘’I urge all members to be cautious of what they say or do. Some cannot be working to rebuild the party, and some trying to de-market it.
‘’There is a difference between personal opinion and party position. If anybody is speaking on personal opinion, he or she should say so. The party has formal organs for speaking, and that should be respected.
‘’We must never show to the public that we are a group that anybody can do what he or she likes anytime and anyhow. We must be cautious of each other by what we do or what we don’t do as we move forward.
‘’I will also advise that, yes, we may have differences, where we should be conscious in expressing opinions, even on those who have left us, because what we want is for them to come back now or very, very soon,
‘’Mr. Chairman, we know that some people are aggrieved, but we don’t have to come down and pull down whatever our grievances may be. If we work together, the convention should resolve all grievances. It’s an opportunity, and we must not miss it.
“We should be patient and make use of it. May God Almighty guide this meeting and subsequent missions, and may God Almighty shower and crown our efforts with victory in whatever we set out for ourselves,’’ he stated.
The national caucus of the PDP has however shifted the National convention to November, while the next NEC meeting is expected to take place on August 25, 2025.
Ahead the PDP elective National Convention in Ibadan from Saturday, November 15 to Sunday, November 16, 2025, National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the National Chairman and National Secretary have been directed to formally notify INEC of the planned convention.
This announcement was part of the resolutions reached at the NEC in Abuja.
The NEC also approved the membership of the National Convention Committee and the Zoning Committee, aimed at ensuring a transparent and credible electoral process.
Ologunagba stated that the party leadership expressed satisfaction with the resolution of internal disputes, describing it as a demonstration of the PDP commitment to dialogue and unity.
He added that the party remained united, strong, and well-positioned to offer a credible alternative to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In another resolution, the committee disclosed plans to initiate legal action to recover legislative seats held by members who had defected to other parties, citing constitutional provisions that rendered such seats vacant.
The NEC further expressed concern over reports of PDP members participating in the activities of other political parties and called for renewed loyalty, discipline, and commitment to the party’s ideals.
The party reaffirmed its willingness to collaborate with like-minded individuals and groups in what it described as a collective effort to rescue Nigeria from the APC-led administration.
Chuks Okocha
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