Former President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday held a closed-door meeting with a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership led by its chairman, Taminu Turaki, at his residence within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, Ogun State, as the party intensifies consultations ahead of the 2026 and 2027 elections.
The delegation, which arrived at about 11:38am, included former governors Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger) and Jonah Jang (Plateau), former Senate President and Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, National Secretary, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, and other senior party leaders. They were received by the Ogun State PDP Chairman, Hon. Abayomi Tella, before proceeding for a private session with the former president.
During the meeting, Obasanjo reportedly commended the group for its efforts and urged members to “soldier on”, stressing the need for discipline and strict adherence to party rules. He encouraged the faction to remain steadfast in rebuilding the party amid its lingering internal crisis.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Turaki said the visit was to formally introduce the party’s new leadership to Obasanjo and seek his guidance as the PDP prepares for upcoming electoral contests.
“We came to our father to present ourselves and to appreciate him for his immense role in building democracy and strong institutions in Nigeria. We also sought his counsel as we prepare for the enormous task ahead”, Turaki stated.
He added that the party was repositioned and ready to reclaim lost ground, beginning with the 2026 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, before mounting a serious challenge in the 2027 general elections.
“PDP is battle-ready for 2027. But before then, we will reclaim Ekiti and Osun states. When we achieve this, Nigerians will see clearly that the PDP is back and prepared to challenge the incompetence and maladministration of the APC,” he declared.
Using a proverb to highlight the value of experience, Turaki said, “A woman who started cooking before you must have broken more pots. Baba has spoken to us, and we are better for it?”
The visit comes against the backdrop of deepening divisions within the PDP following the expiration of the tenure of the National Working Committee elected in October 2021.
Recall that in November, a faction backed by PDP governors, including Bala Mohammed of Bauchi and Seyi Makinde of Oyo, held a controversial convention in Ibadan, which produced a new NWC with Turaki as chairman and expelled Nyesom Wike and his allies. The Wike-led group has rejected the move, accusing Turaki’s faction of defying court judgments, and has since formed a parallel NWC, Board of Trustees and National Executive Committee, while also announcing counter-expulsions.
Obasanjo, who was elected president on the PDP platform in 1999 and 2003, has maintained some distance from the party in recent years. In January 2023, he told PDP leaders he would not return to the party, despite similar consultations at his Abeokuta residence.
Ogun PDP Chairman, Abayomi Tella, described yesterday’s meeting as a turning point, saying it marked a “new dawn” for the party, and expressed confidence that the PDP would perform better in future elections.
