The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has confirmed that the National Convention of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will proceed as scheduled on March 29 and 30 in Abuja.
Wike, who made this disclosure on Friday, said about 2,500 delegates are expected to attend the convention as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
This is even as he added that reconciliation with aggrieved members would continue even after the gathering.
The FCT Minister noted, while inspecting the Velodrome at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, that the venue for the convention, the PDP, remained large enough to accommodate differing views within the party.
Speaking on the party’s internal disagreements and ongoing legal challenges, Wike downplayed concerns that the appeal filed at the Supreme Court by a faction led by Kabiru Turaki would affect the planned convention.
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“There is room for accommodation. The PDP is a very large party. Look at the umbrella, it is wide enough to accommodate everyone,” Wike said.
“I have always said that in any group, there will be grievances. You cannot expect everyone in a family of two or three people to be always satisfied, let alone a party with millions of members. There will always be a few who are not happy.
“We have agreed to sit down with them, understand their concerns, and see how we can accommodate them. What is most important is the overall interest of the party.”
The Minister maintained that reconciliation would remain a continuous process aimed at strengthening unity within the party ahead of future elections.
On zoning arrangements, Wike explained that key party positions had already been distributed across different regions to promote balance and consensus.
“We have already zoned our positions. Every zone has its own slots. The presidency has been zoned to the South, while the chairmanship is zoned to the North. We believe this consensus arrangement will make the process easier.
“For the first time, the PDP is presenting a unified front, rather than the usual ‘unity list’ that often reflects internal divisions. There are no factions; everyone has agreed on the direction we are taking,” he said.
Providing an update on preparations, Wike said logistical arrangements were almost complete.
“We are fully prepared. This visit is to assess final arrangements. As I said, we expect to reach about 95 per cent by tomorrow, and everything will be set.
“Seating arrangements for all states have been completed, and the VIP section is ready. We do not expect more than 2,500 delegates,” he added.
The inspection was attended by several party leaders, including the chairman of the convention planning committee, Okezie Ikpeazu; chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Mao Ohuabunwa; acting national chairman of the party’s caretaker committee, Mohammed Abdulrahman; and acting national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
The convention is being held amid a prolonged leadership crisis that has affected the party since November 2025.
Earlier, PDP governors had backed a convention held in Ibadan on November 15, which produced Turaki and other members of the National Working Committee for a four-year tenure. However, a rival faction later set up a 13-member caretaker committee led by Abdulrahman with a 60-day mandate.
The dispute led to clashes at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, forcing the Nigeria Police Force to seal the premises.
The legal battle intensified after the Court of Appeal ruled on March 9 that the Ibadan convention violated the Electoral Act, the Constitution and the PDP’s constitution, thereby nullifying the exercise that produced Turaki and his committee.
