Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has said the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), scheduled for March 29 and 30, will proceed as planned, adding that reconciliation efforts with aggrieved members will continue after the exercise.
Wike also said the party would “shock Nigerians” in the 2027 general elections, expressing confidence in the PDP’s strength.
He dismissed the appeal filed at the Supreme Court by the Tanimu Turaki group, noting that it would not affect the convention.
Speaking after inspecting the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Velodrome, venue of the convention in Abuja, on Friday night, the minister described reconciliation as a continuous process.
He was accompanied by the chairman of the National Convention Planning Committee, Okezie Ikpeazu; chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Mao Ohuabunwa; chairman of the National Caretaker Working Committee (NCWC), Mohammed Abdulrahman; national secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; members of the NCWC; chairman of the Rivers State Elders Council, Ferdinand Alabraba; and former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, among others.
Wike reiterated that while the convention would go ahead as scheduled, efforts to resolve internal disputes would continue beyond the event.
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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,” he said.
“In any group, there will be grievances. You cannot expect that in a family of two or three people, everyone will always be 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.”
On zoning, the minister said positions had already been allocated across regions.
“We have zoned our positions. Every zone has its 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.
Wike also expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness for the convention.
“We are fully prepared. This visit is to assess final arrangements. We are about 95 percent ready, and by tomorrow 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 convention is scheduled to hold on Sunday, March 29, and Monday, March 30.
