2027: Turaki, Wike men in last ditch effort to resolve PDP crisis
By Idun Maximus
Key stakeholders involved in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership crisis are making last ditch effort to resolve the seeming intractable crises that have polarized the opposition party since November, last year.
AbeyaNews gathered that the Tanimu Turaki led National Working Committee (NWC), and the National Caretaker Committee, commenced fresh peace talks on Tuesday night.
The NWC is backed by Governors Bala Mohammed and Seyi Makinde of Bauchi and Oyo states respectively, while the National Caretaker Committee enjoys the support of Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
The various organs of the PDP became polarized, in the aftermath of the party’s National Convention, in Ibadan, which elected a new NWC led by Tanimu Turaki, last November.
Immediately after the Ibadan convention, loyalists of the FCT Minister set up a 13 man caretaker committee headed by Abdulraham Mohammed to pilot the affairs of the opposition party pending the conduct of a fresh convention. Prior to the Ibadan convention, PDP governors and Wike have been at loggerheads over party machinery.
Nonetheless, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on March 9 nullified the convention and upheld the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had directed the opposition party not to go ahead with the exercise.
Also, the Court of Appeal, Ibadan, while adjudicating in an appeal against the judgment of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, which recognized the caretaker committee, admonished the parties to the suit to explore a settlement.
The chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Adolphus Wabara, after an expanded meeting of the board, said party leaders are disposed to seeking an out of court resolution of the leadership crises.
On the flip-side, the caretaker committee stated that while it is not averse to reconciliation, there is no going back on its convention scheduled for March 29 and 30.
However, the peace talks have been stalled, with both sides trading blames on who is responsible for the failure of the reconciliation move.
Nonetheless, multiple sources from both sides told newsmen, Wednesday, that there is a renewed move to resolve the leadership crises as soon as possible.
This renewed peace moves, it was gathered is borne out of concerns that if the crisis is allowed to linger, both sides may suffer huge political losses, which might be inimical to the survival of the PDP.
One of the sources said that ” the two parties opened direct communication, yesterday (Tuesday) night. And they agreed to raise a team to iron out all the issues without any intermediary.”
According to the source, they have come to realize that some of the party leaders, who they were expecting to midwife the reconciliation, were allegedly compounding issues. He stated that this realization informed their decision to negotiate directly.
Another source, who does not want to be quoted, while collaborating the renewed peace efforts, said Wike and the Bauchi governor have spoken and are expected to meet to discuss how to resolve the contentious issues.
According to him, the Bauchi governor and Wike spoke and both party leaders are expected to meet to discuss how to resolve the issues.
“Yes. It is correct. Both groups have started talking. Bala has reached out to the Minister and they will meet today”, he stated .
Turaki, while speaking at a press briefing, Wednesday, confirmed that both sides have renewed talks, stating that his team is ready to make sacrifices to achieve peace in the opposition party.
He said: “I can unequivocally confirm that, as of today, leaders on both sides have broken the ice and are exploring various pathways towards a lasting resolution. We urge our supporters across the board to immediately de-escalate high-tempered communications and actions, so as not to jeopardise the ongoing peace efforts.”
The party leader added: “We have hope and confidence that we can still work together. We have confidence that in life, there are times to fight and there are also times to make peace. But even when you choose to fight and go to war and win the war, you also need to win the peace.
“So, if you have a pathway to winning the peace without necessarily going to war, why not take peace and forego the war? Let me also add that we understand that in human life, every time something good is coming your way, there are people from unimaginable and unbelievable quarters—sometimes those you think are friends or family—who will be the first to rise and truncate those good things coming your way.
“I am not saying there are no good elements on both sides whose sole intention is to prevent peace in this country. I am saying there are some people fighting so that this party will go down. From last night, these two elements have been identified and flushed out in the discussions between the two sides.”
Turaki explained that once agreements are reached, all the cases, on the PDP leadership tussle, pending at different courts, will be withdrawn.
“As I speak, there are cases filed by both parties, including appeals at the Court of Appeal. Some appeals have been filed by them, others by us, though some have not been taken. As a senior lawyer, I can say that the best judges would advise parties to explore out-of-court settlements whenever possible.
“We have chosen the path of peace in the overall interest of party members, particularly our teeming supporters who want PDP to remain an effective platform for the forthcoming elections. As soon as we reach agreeable terms, which we will honor, we will willingly withdraw all cases—whether at the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, or elsewhere—to give peace a chance. All cases will give way for peace as soon as we reach that point. ”
Turaki, while responding to question, on whether his team will participate in the convention being organized by the Wike camp, said “issues such as attendance at the convention are among those to be discussed. Once these matters are deliberated, the parties and delegates will decide whether the convention needs to continue. These issues are on the table and will be considered carefully.
“I want to assure you that something unique about PDP is our resilience. We have internal shock absorbers that allow us to come together and resolve differences in a family manner, without giving room for outside speculation.”
He added “on the issue of compromise, we are willing to bend as far as our necks and backs allow. We are ready to make all sorts of sacrifices in the overall interest of the party. PDP will not die.
Everything possible will be done to make this reconciliation work; nothing is impossible.”
