The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has resolved to hold its Elective National Convention from November 15 to 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State, as part of efforts to reposition the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
  
This was among the key resolutions in a communiqué issued at the end of the party’s 101st National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, yesterday, at the PDP National Secretariat, Wadata Plaza, Abuja.
  
Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDPGF), Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, said the party “is open to welcoming back” former members who left out of impatience, while emphasising the need for unity and discipline within the party.
  
But former Senate President and Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Adolphus Wabara, said many defectors would return to the party if it delivered strong and inspiring leadership at its coming national convention.
  
Presiding over the meeting, Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, hailed the party’s internal reconciliation efforts, declaring that the PDP emerged stronger and more united, with many defectors returning after realising the “futility” of the recently formed political coalition.
  
He said: “Some persons have recently learned the hard way that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush,” Damagum remarked. “Many who jumped on the coalition bandwagon have already returned to our fold. Some even claimed they never left and merely attended a meeting. We accept their confessions without prejudice.”
  
Damagum described the coalition as an “ill-fated venture” and “failed political experiment,” revealing that not only PDP members but also “individuals from other parties who had flirted with the alliance have now retraced their steps.”
  
He asserted that the quick collapse of the coalition reaffirmed the PDP’s national viability, stability and readiness to lead Nigeria back to prosperity.
  
In line with its roadmap to reclaim power in 2027, the NEC approved the full schedule and timetable for the coming Elective National Convention and directed Damagum and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, to formally notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the Electoral Act.
  
NEC also approved the composition of both the National Convention Committee and the Zoning Committee to ensure a transparent and credible convention process.
  
Former Kaduna State Governor and secretary of the BoT, Ahmed Makarfi, in a separate remark, urged members to exhibit discipline and caution in their public comments, stressing the importance of unity and collective responsibility.
  
“These meetings are critical. We thank God for the stability that has returned to the party. But we must never take it for granted,” Makarfi warned. “We must not de-market the party or express personal opinions as if they were party positions. The success of the convention will define the political landscape in this country.”
  
The NEC reaffirmed PDP’s commitment to democratic ideals and its determination to lead Nigeria into a new era of good governance in 2027. The next NEC meeting was scheduled for Monday, August 25, 2025.
  
Speaking on behalf of PDP governors, Governor Mohammed praised the National Working Committee (NWC) for its flexibility and urged members to put the party’s interests above personal ambitions.
  
“We sympathise with those who became impatient and left, but certainly, they will come to understand. We are keeping the door open for them to return, within a reasonable timeframe,” he said.
  
He also issued a strong warning against acts of indiscipline, which he blamed for many of the party’s past troubles.
  
“We will not continue to tolerate indiscipline because it is the root of the problems we’ve faced in the past,” he declared, applauding the NWC for showing a willingness to make sacrifices, including stepping down before the end of their tenure, in the interest of party unity.

Wabara stressed that the party’s ability to resolve its internal differences and elect credible leaders would be key to reclaiming its place as Nigeria’s leading opposition force.
  
He added that although many doubted the NEC would hold, “it is now a constitutionally recognised event whose outcome will shape the political terrain” ahead of the 2027 general elections.