Truce of fluke? As PDP’s sudden rapprochement brings more questions than answers

The recent 100th NEC meeting of the PDP ended with warring blocs sheathing their swords in pursuit of party unity. However, with some of the party members still openly romancing the ruling All Progressives Congress and others already pledging allegiance to African Democratic Congress, PHILIP IBITOYE examines whether the recently declared truce in the PDP will hold or not.

AFTER months of bitter infighting, walkouts and factional brinkmanship, Nigeria’s main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), appears to have reached a truce—at least on the surface. The return of Senator Samuel Anyanwu as National Secretary, sanctioned at the PDP’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, marks what many insiders describe as a delicate détente between warring factions.

But beneath the handshake lies a troubled party still struggling to define its role in the country’s post-2023 opposition landscape. As PDP leaders seek to unite for the 2027 general election—and possibly lead a broader coalition to dislodge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)—the fundamental question persists: is this peace real, and can it last?

A fragile ceasefire

The NEC’s decision to reinstate Anyanwu, despite earlier resistance from influential southern blocs, most notably Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde’s camp, was widely interpreted as a concession aimed at avoiding further legal wrangling. Anyanwu’s return, however, came with conditions: he must drop all court cases and pledge not to obstruct the party’s national convention in August, according to PDP leaders privy to internal discussions.

Recall that opposing blocs within the PDP had been in a months-long battle over Anyanwu’s position. A Supreme Court judgement in March 2025 voiding his removal did not stop his opponents from seeking his ouster. They maintained that his tenure ended when he resigned to contest the last governorship election in Imo State. But Anyanwu and his allies disagreed. While a bloc consisting of Acting National Chairman Umar Damagum and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, backed Anyanwu, another bloc—comprising Governors Makinde (Oyo), Peter Mbah (Enugu), Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara)—firmly opposed Anyanwu’s return and supported Deputy National Secretary Setonji Koshoedo as Acting National Secretary.

The leadership tussle also split the National Working Committee (NWC), the body responsible for day-to-day party operations. On one side were Damagum; National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN); Vice Chairman (North-West), Senator Bello Gwarzo; and two other NWC members backing Anyanwu. On the other side were Deputy National Chairman (South), Taofeek Arapaja; National Vice Chairman (South-East), Ali Odefa; South-East Caretaker Chairman, Emmanuel Ogidi; National Woman Leader, Amina Darasimi; National Auditor, Okechukwu Obiechin; National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba; National Financial Secretary, Woyengikuro Daniel; and National Vice Chairman (South-West), Ajisafe Toyese, who backed Koshoedo.

However, three months after the Supreme Court verdict and several calls for a ceasefire, the anti-Anyanwu group caved into demands at the party’s last NEC meeting and allowed his reinstatement as the party’s National Secretary. Party insiders told Sunday Tribune that the NEC unanimously reinstated him to maintain peace and ensure progress for the party. But the leadership crisis did not end without major casualties. Amid the tussle, the PDP lost several lawmakers and governors—including Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State and Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State—to the ruling APC. While some see the loss of these officials as damaging to the party’s effort to regain dominance, others remain hopeful.

In an interview with Sunday Tribune, the party’s National Vice Chairman (South-West) said the party is ready to move forward and expressed confidence that Anyanwu and his opponents can now work together. “We have started working together. The people who were against Anyanwu did not do it out of self-interest; they opposed him based on party interest. Once we were able to convince them that Anyanwu would toe the party line by being loyal to the party, they allowed his reinstatement,” Toyese said.

Likewise, Eddy Olafeso, a former Zonal Chairman of the PDP (South-West) and member of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT), told Sunday Tribune the party is coming together in furtherance of its own and the country’s best interests. “What is going on is that, at this moment, we’ve been able to bring everybody together for the interest of the party and ensure that they all comply with the constitution. Yes, it is possible for everybody to work together,” he said.

Toyese and Olafeso’s sentiments appear to reflect the overwhelming feeling among party leaders coming out of the last NEC meeting—that the PDP is ready to turn the page on its long-running leadership crisis. But some observers note that the party is not yet out of the woods, pointing to current members, including Wike, who are still openly working against the party’s interest in unseating the APC in 2027.

Incidentally, the PDP is no stranger to paralysing internal crises such as those which contributed to its losses in the 2015 and 2023 presidential elections.

Wike still holds a large measure of control in the party

Despite the hopeful tone struck by many PDP leaders after the NEC meeting, the question of Wike’s position still looms large as the party looks to the future. Wike has publicly backed Anyanwu’s reinstatement and is seen to wield significant influence over the acting chairman. Though this is not unusual in politics, some interests within party see this as a problem given that the PDP is the major opposition party planning to win back power from the ruling APC.

Since President Bola Tinubu appointed Wike as FCT Minister in 2023, he has refused to leave the PDP insisting that he would not join the APC either.

Recall that the former Rivers governor was instrumental in the PDP’s defeat in the 2023 election. He led a group of five governors—including Makinde and former governors Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu)—to launch damaging campaign against the decision of the PDP to allow the presidency to shift to the North rather than South. This action caused serious damage to the performance of the party in the election that the APC won.

But while some members may be worried about Wike, Olafeso and some other leaders believe the party has mechanisms to deal with errant members should such members be found guilty of indiscretions or wrongdoings inimical to the progress of the party.

According to Olafeso: “If we discover at any point, as we settle down and stabilise the party, that someone is working against us, Section 53 of the party constitution is very clear. The party will have to do what it has to do,” he said. On whether Wike’s commitment to supporting President Tinubu is a deal-breaker, he added: “Whatever he said yesterday, people change their minds—opinions change from time to time.” Discipline, he noted, would be a collective decision taken at the appropriate time.

Toyese also played down Wike’s position, saying the focus of party leaders is on rebuilding ahead of 2027. “Since he [Wike] has not renounced his membership in the party, we have to allow that position to stay. By my record, he is still a member of the party, unless stated otherwise. So, we are just concentrating on building the party. That is our main focus,” Toyese said.

Will the PDP reconciliation strengthen the coalition?

Alongside the PDP’s internal reconciliation, the party’s bigwigs and other opposition figures—including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President David Mark, former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal—have announced a new coalition under the banner of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a party seen as small but legally untainted and politically neutral enough to serve as a fresh platform.

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