Saraki Reaffirms Commitment to PDP Amid Leadership Crisis, Leads Reconciliation Committee To Enugu  * Challenges confronting party surmountable, he assured

By Omowumi Omotosho

Amid ongoing internal leadership disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Senate President Bukola Saraki has reiterated his unwavering commitment to the party and its future, while also assuming a critical role in its ongoing restructuring efforts.

Saraki made his position known on Friday when he led the party’s Strategy and Way Forward Committee to Enugu to meet the state governor, Peter Mbah over the party’s crisis.

Other members of the committee who accompanied Saraki are former governors of Bayelsa and Gombe states, Mr Seriake Dickson and Mr Ibrahim Dankwambo respectively.

Saraki after the meeting took to his social media handles to share his optimism and determination on the resolution of the party’s crisis.

According to him, the meeting centered around the challenges currently facing the party, adding that efforts are actively underway to restore unity and the repositioning of PDP.

“I just concluded a meeting in Enugu State with His Excellency, Governor Peter Mbah, alongside Senators Seriake Dickson and Ibrahim Dankwambo of the @OfficialPDPNig Strategy and Way Forward Committee.

“We didn’t sidestep the issues. We confronted the fractures in our foundation, asked the hard questions, and began shaping a real, workable plan to move our party forward.

“I believe in the PDP. I believe in what it has stood for and what it can still become, if we’re willing to do the hard, unglamorous work of rebuilding from the inside out.

“The road ahead won’t be easy. It will test us and demand more from each of us. But I leave Enugu more convinced than ever: we have the people, the resolve, and the clarity to rise to the occasion—and to lead again. #PowerToThePeople”

The Reconciliation and Strategy Committee, inaugurated by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), was created to address persistent party divisions that have weakened its cohesion since the 2023 general elections. Saraki’s selection to chair the committee underscores his reputation as a bridge-builder and experienced party leader with strong relationships across Nigeria’s political spectrum.

The committee is said to be prioritizing dialogues with aggrieved stakeholders, state governors, former aspirants, and members at the grassroots, while also developing a blueprint to reposition the PDP ideologically and strategically.

Saraki emphasized his personal belief in the PDP’s founding principles and the need for introspection.

“I believe in what the PDP has stood for—and what it can still become, if we’re willing to do the hard, unglamorous work of rebuilding from the inside out.”

He added that although the task ahead would not be easy, the party has the people, the clarity, and the commitment needed to reemerge as a credible political force.

Speaking after the closed-door meeting with Mbah, Saraki explained the committee’s mission:

“ We are here in Enugu state to consult with all the leaders of our party, and governor Peter Mbah is the leader of the PDP south-east,” Saraki said.

“This is the first state we are coming to. We are coming to the state because we appreciate the importance of the south-east in the PDP family.

“In recognition of that, we are here to consult with Mbah and first commend him on the leadership role he has been playing in the party.

“We commend what he is doing in Enugu state, which is a reflection of what happens when you have a PDP government.

“This is to ensure the NEC meeting and national convention are rancour-free, smooth, and peaceful and lay the foundation for the PDP that we all wish for.

“So, we have had a very good and useful discussion, and we are going away with some of the suggestions that we have and hopefully will work on that.

“From what we have seen today, there is nothing that is insurmountable in the challenge ahead, given the spirit and the commitment of all of us, especially our leaders.”

The visit comes amid the South-East PDP’s threat to exit the party due to the controversy over the national secretary position.