Efforts to Heal PDP Divide Involve Input from Obasanjo and IBB

Fresh efforts to reunite the fractured Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have gained momentum, with party stalwart Gbenga Hashim seeking the counsel of former Heads of State Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida in a bid to heal the party's internal divisions.

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This discreet consultation is part of a broader initiative to reduce tensions within the party, which has been plagued by months of intra-party strife and litigation that has strained its cohesion.

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Party leaders are now advocating for a political solution to stabilize the PDP ahead of upcoming elections, with Hashim engaging in a series of clandestine meetings with key figures from rival factions.

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Multiple sources have confirmed that Hashim's consultations with Obasanjo and Babangida are a crucial component of the reconciliation drive, which began in January with talks involving leaders of the Turaki bloc.

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The mediation effort has since expanded to include discussions with Mallam Abdulrahman, a prominent figure within the faction often linked to former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.

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According to officials familiar with the process, the discussions have focused primarily on the risks associated with prolonged litigation within the party, including its potential impact on the PDP's institutional stability.

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The decision to reach out to Obasanjo and Babangida is seen by many within the party as an attempt to tap into the moral authority of the PDP's founding generation, at a time when the party's stability is considered paramount.

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Recent developments in the legal arena have also bolstered the push for reconciliation, with the Court of Appeal of Nigeria advising the parties involved in the dispute to consider reconciliation during a hearing in Ibadan last Wednesday.

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The justices emphasized the importance of political stability and internal dispute resolution within political parties, in a move that has been seen as a significant development in the reconciliation effort.

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Last weekend marked a significant turning point in the reconciliation process, with intensified backchannel communications between key figures on both sides yielding an agreement in principle to begin harmonizing positions, regardless of pending court rulings.

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A senior party official has noted that the mood within the party has shifted, with factions now preparing to deepen consultations and move toward structured face-to-face engagements, although formal documentation of the emerging understanding has yet to be finalized.

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The source noted that the party's factions are now working towards reconciliation, regardless of the expected decision of the Court of Appeal early next week, with many members' political careers hanging in the balance.

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The PDP's recent performance in Area Council elections has demonstrated the resilience of its grassroots structure, although party leaders acknowledge that unity at the top is essential to sustaining that momentum.

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A party source has observed that while the party's structure is strong, cohesion at the top has been lacking, but the recent breakthrough has raised hopes that the party may be able to overcome its divisions.

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The tentative breakthrough in the reconciliation effort has been marked by the reopening of communication channels between the two factions aligned with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, which had previously been frozen.