PDP moves to reconcile with Wike Camp, insists on fielding presidential candidate

The crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be heading towards a political truce as a faction within the party has expressed willingness to reconcile with the camp loyal to Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, while insisting that the party must field a presidential candidate in the next general elections.

The development comes amid deepening divisions within the party over its future political direction and whether it can support President Bola Tinubu for a second term.

PDP National Publicity Factional Secretary, Ini Ememobong, disclosed this during an appearance on Arise News’ Morning Show, where she said the party leadership is open to negotiations aimed at restoring unity within the opposition platform.

Ememobong, however, argued that any reconciliation must not compromise the party’s role as a viable opposition capable of contesting power at all levels.

According to him, while the party is willing to engage the Wike-led bloc in dialogue, the PDP would not abandon its constitutional responsibility to field candidates in future elections, including the presidential race.

“The truth is that both hope and delusion are human emotions and, ultimately, it is the outcome that determines which was hope and which was delusion,” he said.

The PDP is grappling with internal disputes following the emergence of parallel power blocs within the party, one aligned with Wike and another loyal to former Special Duties Minister Kabiru Turaki, who leads a faction pushing for the party to reconstitute itself as a strong opposition.

While Wike’s camp has reportedly signaled support for President Tinubu’s second term bid, sources within the party said the group may demand that the Turaki-led faction endorse the president as part of the conditions for reconciliation.

But Ememobong dismissed suggestions that the PDP leadership was considering supporting Tinubu, stressing that the party remained committed to fielding credible candidates in future elections.

He said party leaders are consulting widely with stakeholders and delegates in a bid to resolve the crisis and reposition the PDP.

“When parties sit at the table, they come with their own reducible minimums. If there is to be peace, one of the terms we will bring to the negotiating table is that the party will field candidates at all levels,” he said.

He added that the PDP will also present “a viable candidate” for the presidency, stressing that reconciliation efforts will be pursued with an open mind but without undermining the party’s opposition status.

“We will come to the negotiating table with an open mind to reconciliation, but that reconciliation must keep us as an opposition party,” he added.

The PDP, once Nigeria’s dominant political party, has been struggling to regain political cohesion since losing the presidency in 2015, with recurring internal disputes threatening its chances in future elections.

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