Makinde made the call while speaking after the conclusion of a closed-door consultative summit held in Lagos, calling for the party’s immediate focus to be on rebuilding internal unity and credibility.

“We haven’t even gotten to the stage of talking about presidential candidates,” Makinde said. “If we don’t have a viable party, everything else will fall flat. We must present ourselves as a credible alternative.”

The meeting, spearheaded under the PDP Southern Zoning Committee, aimed to deliberate on zoning arrangements ahead of the party’s national convention. According to Makinde, far-reaching decisions were made, and broader consultations would follow.

Among those present were Governors Douye Diri (Bayelsa), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Peter Mbah’s deputy (Enugu), PDP Board of Trustees Chairman Adolphus Wabara, former governors and ministers, and several legislators across the southern zones.

Makinde dismissed claims that the PDP was weakening, citing recent electoral gains and the high-profile attendance at the summit as proof that the party is “very much alive.”

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However, the gathering drew criticism from a faction of PDP leaders seen as loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, who described the meeting as “illegal” and “exclusionary.”

In a joint statement, several state chairmen and national officers from the South-East and South-South regions condemned their exclusion, accusing the organisers of bypassing statutory structures and key stakeholders.

They rejected the summit’s outcomes, arguing that any decisions made without broad consultation “risk undermining the party’s foundation” and would not be binding.

The dissenting leaders included party chairmen from Imo, Abia, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers states, as well as the PDP National Vice Chairman in the South-East and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

Despite the tension, Makinde reaffirmed the party’s commitment to ongoing engagement and inclusivity, saying PDP remains focused on reclaiming its place as a national political force.

Source: PremiumTimes