Obasanjo, IBB consulted in move to end rift
Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have called on members and supporters nationwide to remain calm and law-abiding ahead of the ruling by the Court of Appeal on the party’s lingering leadership crisis.
Meanwhile, fresh moves to reconcile factions within the party have emerged after former Heads of State, Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, were consulted by party chieftain, Gbenga Hashim, as part of efforts to end the internal rift.
The appellate court is expected to deliver its judgment today on the dispute over the leadership of the opposition party.
In a statement yesterday by the Director General of the PDP Governors’ Forum (PDPGF), Emmanuel Agbo, the forum, chaired by the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, urged party faithful to demonstrate restraint and respect for the rule of law before, during and after the verdict.
The forum said the moment was a defining one for Nigeria’s democracy, stressing that the judiciary remained the custodian of justice and fairness in the country’s democratic process.
It said: “We stand at a defining moment for our democracy. The judiciary, as the custodian of justice, carries the weight of ensuring fairness, impartiality and the preservation of national stability. Whatever the decision may be, the PDP reaffirms its respect for the judicial process and its commitment to peace.”
The governors noted that the PDP had remained a central pillar in Nigeria’s democratic evolution, having played significant roles both in government and in opposition.
They urged members, supporters and Nigerians in general to respond to the forthcoming ruling with maturity and discipline, stressing that the party leadership would meet immediately after the judgment to review the decision and determine the next course of action.
The quiet consultations of the two leaders form part of a broader mediation effort aimed at easing tensions after months of legal battles and factional manoeuvring that strained the party’s cohesion.
Party stakeholders are now pushing for a political solution that could stabilise the PDP ahead of future elections.
It was learnt that Hashim had been reaching out to key figures across rival blocs through a series of discreet backchannel contacts. Multiple sources confirmed that the consultations with Obasanjo and Babangida were part of the reconciliation effort.
Officials familiar with the process said the mediation drive began in January with consultations involving leaders of the Ibrahim Turaki bloc before extending to discussions with Abdulrahman Mohammed, a prominent figure within the faction often associated with Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Sources said the discussions focused largely on the political and institutional risks of prolonged litigation within the party.
Within party circles, the outreach to Obasanjo and Babangida was seen as an attempt to draw on the moral authority of PDP’s founding generation at a time many members consider critical for the party’s stability.
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