Makinde, Bala differ over reconciliation with Wike camp after Appeal Court ruling

Makinde, Bala differ over reconciliation with Wike camp after Appeal Court ruling

Fresh divisions have emerged within the Peoples Democratic Party following moves to implement a reconciliation agreement encouraged by the Court of Appeal, as Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed reportedly took opposing positions on engaging the camp loyal to Nyesom Wike.

Party insiders disclosed that Makinde and members of the party’s Board of Trustees backed a reconciliation arrangement with Wike’s faction, while Mohammed, who chairs the PDP Governors’ Forum, reportedly rejected the proposal and insisted he could not work with the group.

The disagreement followed the lingering leadership dispute that trailed the party’s national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025, where delegates elected Tanimu Turaki and other members of the National Working Committee for a four-year tenure.

The convention was later nullified after the appellate court upheld an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Abuja, which ruled that the processes leading to the convention breached provisions of the Electoral Act, the Constitution and the PDP’s internal rules.

Following the verdict, a panel of the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan granted parties involved in the dispute permission to pursue an out-of-court settlement and adjourned the matter indefinitely to allow negotiations.

Sources within the party said Makinde and other stakeholders at an expanded meeting of the Board of Trustees resolved that both factions should constitute a joint committee comprising legal experts and senior party figures to draft a reconciliation framework.

The proposed committee, according to the sources, would determine how leadership positions in the party’s National Working Committee would be shared and outline a roadmap for implementing the agreement before submitting it to the Court of Appeal for validation.

However, Mohammed reportedly distanced himself from the reconciliation effort and did not attend the expanded BoT meeting where the decision was taken. Party insiders said efforts were ongoing to persuade the Bauchi governor to reconsider his position.

Meanwhile, the PDP Board of Trustees, led by its chairman, Adolphus Wabara, said it had begun moves to reconcile aggrieved stakeholders in the aftermath of the court ruling that invalidated the November convention.

Speaking after the meeting in Abuja, Wabara said the board would take advantage of the window opened by the appellate court to pursue alternative dispute resolution in order to stabilise the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He said the BoT was concerned about the internal disputes that had led to damaging litigation, warning that the crisis could undermine the unity and effectiveness of the PDP as the country’s major opposition party.

Reacting to the reconciliation move, Wike declared that his group was ready for peace talks but insisted that any attempt at reconciliation must be genuine and based on clear proposals.

The Federal Capital Territory minister also rejected suggestions that his role in the administration of President Bola Tinubu had weakened his commitment to the PDP, stressing that he remained a member of the party.

Wike further maintained that preparations for the party’s national convention scheduled for March 29 and 30 were ongoing, warning against any proposal to constitute another caretaker committee.