Saraki,
In a bid to resolve ongoing internal tensions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a high-powered delegation led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki visited Enugu State on Friday for a crucial meeting with Governor Peter Mbah, who is regarded as the Southeast leader of the party.
The delegation, operating under the banner of the PDP Special Reconciliation Committee, included prominent members such as former Bayelsa Governor Senator Seriake Dickson and former Gombe Governor Dr. Ibrahim Dankwambo.
The closed-door session took place at the Enugu Government House and comes amid rising discord following the nomination of Hon. Sunday Udeh-Okoye to complete the tenure of the party’s National Secretary.
The recent decision by the PDP’s Zonal Executive Council (ZEC) sparked controversy, with regional leaders warning they might withdraw their loyalty if their position is not respected.
After the meeting, Saraki briefed reporters, outlining the committee’s mission to stabilize the party and ensure cohesion ahead of major national events.
“We are here as members of the PDP Reconciliation and Strategy Committee, set up by the PDP Governors’ Forum, to ensure that the coming NEC and convention are smooth and free of rancor,” he explained.
He emphasized the strategic significance of the Southeast, stating: “This is the first state we are coming to because we appreciate the importance of the Southeast in our PDP family. As you all know, the Southeast has played a key role as the bedrock of the popularity and the strength of our party.”
Saraki further praised Governor Mbah for his role in maintaining party unity and governance in Enugu State.
“In recognition of that, we are here to consult with him and first to commend him on the leadership role he has been playing in the party. More importantly also, to commend what he is doing in Enugu State, which is a reflection for Nigerians to see what happens when you have a PDP government,” he said.
He affirmed the group’s commitment to ensuring a productive and harmonious national convention.
“In doing that, we discussed how we will ensure that we carry out the assignment given to us and go ahead to have our NEC and our convention. We will have one that is rancor-free and smooth, peaceful and lays the foundation for the PDP that we all are wishing for,” he added.
Describing the engagement as fruitful, Saraki concluded: “We have had a very good discussion. Frankly, we have had a very, very useful discussion.”
“We are going away with some of the suggestions that we have here and hopefully work on that. With this, we can say here in Enugu we laid the foundation for a greater new PDP that is coming.”
He noted the optimism among party stakeholders in the region: “What we have also seen today is that there is nothing insurmountable in the challenge ahead and the spirit, the commitment of all of us, especially our leaders, is very very inspiring.”
