Reconcile or risk collapse, Ikpeazu tells PDP, hails Wike as ‘Pillar of Strength

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — Former Abia State Governor and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party National Convention Planning Committee, Okezie Ikpeazu, has warned that the party must urgently reconcile its internal divisions or risk collapse, as it moves to elect a new leadership at a crucial national convention.

The gathering is widely seen as a make-or-break moment for the PDP, an opportunity to steady a party shaken by internal crises, rebuild trust among its members, and prove it can still compete for power.

Ikpeazu spoke on Sunday at the party’s 10th Elective National Convention in Abuja, where thousands of delegates gathered to choose a new National Working Committee (NWC) that will run the party for the next four years. The outcome is expected to shape the party’s direction ahead of the next electoral cycle.

“The duty of genuine reconciliation within our party is not optional; it is fundamental. Your work begins immediately,” he said.

His warning comes against the backdrop of a lingering leadership crisis that forced the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to step in last December, dissolving the previous leadership and setting up a caretaker committee to stabilise the party.

“Since that moment, our great party has traversed a challenging and, at times, turbulent path,” Ikpeazu said.

He told delegates the convention should mark a turning point, built around the theme ‘Inclusiveness, Unity, and Renewal’, which he described as more than just words.

“This theme is not a mere slogan; it is a strategic imperative. It speaks directly to our present reality and defines the pathway to our collective future,” he said.

At the centre of the convention is the election of a new leadership team, a process Ikpeazu described as critical to the party’s survival and direction.

“We are assembled here as one united political family to perform one of the most sacred duties in any democratic process: the election of a new National Working Committee that will steer the affairs of our party over the next four years,” he said.

In a moment likely to spark fresh debate within party ranks, Ikpeazu openly praised the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for his role during the PDP’s most difficult period.

“At a critical moment in the life of this party, when uncertainty loomed large, he demonstrated courage, resolve, and uncommon commitment in ensuring that the PDP did not drift into political oblivion.

“From 2015 to date, he has remained a formidable pillar of strength. Such consistency of purpose, unwavering loyalty, and exemplary leadership have, without doubt, earned him a place of prominence as the national leader of the party,” he said.

He also recognised the contributions of other senior figures, including former Senate President Bukola Saraki, noting that their efforts helped keep the party together during turbulent times.

“History will undoubtedly be kind to those who stood firm in defence of this great institution when it mattered most,” he said.

Ikpeazu acknowledged the party’s recent electoral setbacks but insisted it still retains a strong national structure and deep grassroots presence.

Looking ahead, he urged party members to take the message of the convention beyond Abuja and turn it into concrete action across all levels of the party.

“Let Inclusiveness define our engagements. Let Unity shape our actions. Let Renewal guide our mission.

“As we conclude this historic exercise, let these not be empty words, but living principles that drive our conduct from the National Working Committee down to the ward level,” he said.

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