In an attempt to end the conflict that has split the opposition party since November of last year, gladiators in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership crisis have started new initiatives.
In an attempt to reestablish unity ahead of the party’s next national convention, both sides reopened communication on Tuesday night, according to party sources.
The development coincides with mounting worries that the party may become weaker in the run-up to next elections due to the protracted leadership dispute.
According to investigations, the National Caretaker Committee (NCC) and the National Working Committee (NWC), led by Tanimu Turaki, have started new reconciliation negotiations.
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde favor the Turaki-led NWC, while Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike supports the caretaker committee.
After a new NWC led by Turaki was elected at the PDP national conference in Ibadan in November, the situation worsened.
Wike’s supporters, however, disapproved of the result and established a 13-person caretaker committee led by Abdulrahman Mohammed to run the party until another convention.
Judicial involvement exacerbated the leadership situation.
On March 9, the Federal High Court in Abuja’s earlier ruling, which had prohibited the PDP from carrying out the exercise, was affirmed by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which invalidated the Ibadan convention.
In a similar vein, the Court of Appeal in Ibadan encouraged parties to seek a peaceful resolution when making a decision on a different appeal pertaining to the caretaker committee.
Adolphus Wabara, the chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees, stated that party leaders were amenable to settling the conflict outside of court after an extended discussion.
The caretaker committee insisted that plans for its proposed national convention, which is set for March 29 and 30, are still on track despite pleas for reconciliation.
The stance has led to ongoing disputes between the two sides, with each accusing the other of being to blame for the halted attempts at reconciliation.
Both sides have now resumed talks to resolve the impasse, according to many PDP sources.
The two parties decided to form a team that would handle any controversial matters without the need for middlemen, a source informed Daily Sun.
The insider claims that the decision to engage in direct negotiations was prompted by worries that some party leaders’ original hopes of promoting reconciliation were actually making matters worse.
According to another party insider, Wike and Governor Bala Mohammed had direct communication prior to the latest peace effort, and both leaders were anticipated to meet to talk about potential solutions.
“Yes, that’s right. Both groups have begun conversing. The FCT minister has been contacted by Bala, and they will meet today to talk about how to settle the divisive issues, according to the source.
Turaki affirms fresh attempts at reconciliation
At a press conference on Tuesday, Turaki affirmed the start of new peace talks and urged supporters to refrain from taking any acts that would jeopardize the process.
He declared, “I can categorically confirm that, as of today, leaders on both sides have broken the ice and are exploring various pathways towards a lasting resolution.”
In order for the peace effort to be successful, he asked party members to refrain from making provocative remarks.
According to Turaki, his group was prepared to compromise in order to bring the party back together.
“We are confident and hopeful that we can continue to collaborate. There are times to fight and moments to make peace in life. “Why not choose peace and avoid war if there is a way to achieve peace without necessarily going to war?” he asked.
He went on to say that some party members were actively working against reconciliation, but he maintained that those factors had now been found.
Turaki further revealed that, should a political agreement be struck, all sides were willing to drop all current legal proceedings.
Both sides have filed cases, including appeals at the Court of Appeal, as I speak. “Whenever possible, the best judges encourage parties to look into out-of-court settlements,” he stated.
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