Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, wants an end to the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and is calling for unity among members ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Lamido, who spoke at the PDP National Convention in Abuja on Sunday, called on aggrieved party members to return to the umbrella fold.
“Those who are under 30 now may not be able to fully appreciate and understand the sacrifices of our founding fathers.
“I am here today as a bridge between the old order and the new order to give you hope, to inspire you, and to motivate you. Don’t give up, stand for Nigeria.
“We are today where we were in 1998 when we introduced tribal politics and ethnicity, and there is no way a country can grow if we are not united, as Nigeria is our benchmark in terms of political leadership.
“I will urge those who are angry to please consider your position. PDP is Nigeria’s family; it is not about any individual or ego. Please come back to your party, PDP, which dignified you and made you what you are,” he stated.
According to Lamido, PDP has planted its roots in every village across Nigeria.
He claimed that several members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), among others, were once PDP members.
In his remark, the PDP Caretaker Committee Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, called on members to embrace inclusiveness as the party repositions itself for the 2027 general elections.
“Today, we choose a higher path. We choose inclusiveness over exclusion, unity over division, we choose renewal over decline,” Mohammed stated.
“The PDP has not come here to mourn itself; the PDP has come here to renew itself. This convention is therefore not just about the election; this convention is about restoration, order, not just about position.
“Distinguished delegates, this is not an official day. Today is a moment of reflection, a moment of responsibility, and above all, a moment of renewal. We gather here after a difficult session, a session of disagreement, legal contestation, a session that tested the strength and soul of this party,” he added.
In the build-up to the convention, the PDP has been embroiled in a crisis over the party’s leadership structure.
While the Tanimu Turaki group, backed by Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, claims leadership on one side, the Mohammed-led group, backed by the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, controls the other side.
A convention held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on November 15 and 16, 2025, had triggered a series of legal battles, further deepening internal divisions within the PDP.
The crisis peaked on March 9 when the Court of Appeal in Abuja affirmed the judgment of a Federal High Court, which restrained the PDP from conducting the national convention.
Delivering judgment on March 23, a three-member panel of the appellate court dismissed an appeal filed by the PDP challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to entertain the suit.
Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, who delivered the judgment, held that the PDP violated constitutional provisions guiding the conduct of its convention.