ABUJA — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a significant step toward unity on Wednesday as state chairmen from across Nigeria rallied behind the newly inaugurated National Working Committee (NWC) led by National Chairman, Dr. Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
Their collective pledge of loyalty, delivered at a high-level meeting in Abuja, marked a turning point for the opposition party, easing internal tensions and signaling renewed consolidation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The endorsement was made during an interactive session at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, where members of the newly inaugurated NWC met with the Forum of State Chairmen to review the party’s challenges, prospects, and strategic direction.
Both Dr. Turaki and Chairman of the PDP State Chairmen’s Forum, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, who also leads the Edo State chapter, addressed the gathering.
Speaking on behalf of chairmen from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Aziegbemi declared: “We are here today to send a clear message: We are solidly behind the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP NWC. We acknowledge the challenges, but more importantly, we see the unwavering dedication of the NWC to upholding the party’s constitution and preparing us for future electoral victories.”
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The Forum condemned what it described as attempts to destabilise the PDP and urged stakeholders nationwide to support the NWC while allowing the party’s constituted organs to function without interference.
“Our focus must remain on the Nigerian people. The PDP is a democratic institution, and we must allow the National Working Committee to perform its duties without undue pressure,” Aziegbemi stressed.
He further commended the new NWC for initiating early programmes aimed at strengthening the party structure and ensuring that forthcoming congresses and internal processes strictly comply with the PDP constitution.
In his remarks, Turaki said the presence of 27 state chairmen, alongside apologies from two absent states and ongoing efforts to reconstitute dissolved chapters, showed that those parading themselves as leaders of ‘factions’ within the PDP lacked credibility.
“If all the state chairmen are here with us, then who is it that is not with us? If all the state chairmen are supporting us, then who, sincerely speaking, can be fighting us?” he asked.
Highlighting the PDP’s national depth, Turaki described the state chairmen as the party’s equivalent of “General Officers Commanding,” with local government and ward executives forming the next layers of command.
“PDP is the only party that has presence in every unit, in every ward, in every local government in this country. And this is verified,” he said.
He thanked the chairmen for their support during the elective convention in Ibadan, praising them for mobilising delegates and for being the first organised bloc to congratulate the new NWC.
Turaki said the meeting was deliberately convened early in the NWC’s tenure to enable frank discussions on the state of the party, address emerging concerns, and jointly outline urgent steps needed for rebuilding and stabilisation.
“Unless we talk to ourselves freely and honestly, then we will not be able to achieve results within the shortest possible time. This new leadership means business, and business we shall do,” he stated.
He also took aim at the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing it of reversing many gains made during the PDP’s 16-year rule. According to him, Nigerians were increasingly nostalgic for the pre-2015 era.
“Whenever Nigerians speak, they beg: if you can take us anywhere further, please take us back to where we were in 2015,” he said.
The meeting climaxed with a renewed pledge of allegiance to the Turaki-led NWC, as the chairmen vowed to work collectively to reposition the PDP as a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.
A total of 27 state chairmen, including the FCT, attended the session.