Fresh signs of political realignment have emerged within Nigeria’s fractured opposition, as senior figures from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a series of high-level meetings with rival powerbrokers, even as internal reconciliation efforts appear to have stalled.
Governors Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed met separately with Seriake Dickson in Bauchi before travelling to Kano, where they joined Rabiu Kwankwaso and Peter Obi.
While the gatherings were officially framed as part of Eid-el-Fitr celebrations, sources close to the discussions suggested they formed part of early consultations ahead of the 2027 presidential election, pointing to growing efforts to reshape opposition alliances.
The meetings come against the backdrop of a deepening split within the PDP, with tensions persisting between governors aligned to Makinde and Mohammed and a rival bloc loyal to the federal capital territory minister, Nyesom Wike.
After nearly a year of infighting, the party has effectively splintered into two camps, each claiming legitimacy. A convention organised by the governors’ faction in Ibadan last November, which elevated Kabiru Tanimu Turaki and others into the national working committee, was later nullified by the courts.
In March, the Court of Appeal upheld an earlier federal high court ruling that the process violated both electoral law and the party’s constitution, effectively voiding the outcome and strengthening the position of a caretaker leadership backed by Wike’s allies.
Despite tentative moves towards reconciliation in recent weeks, rhetoric from both sides suggests negotiations may have reached an impasse.
Makinde drew a sharp line, warning that engagement with Wike’s camp amounted to tacit support for Bola Tinubu ahead of the next election cycle.
“Anyone dealing with Wike and his group … has also agreed to support President Tinubu for 2027,” he said, alleging that the faction enjoyed backing from “the government, the judiciary … and INEC”, while insisting his own camp retained grassroots support.
Mohammed, by contrast, struck a more conciliatory tone, arguing that divisions within the party were not beyond repair. “There are no irreconcilable issues in Nigeria,” he said, adding that dialogue was continuing through established conflict-resolution channels.
Yet even as reconciliation is publicly endorsed, both factions have traded accusations over attempts to influence the party’s forthcoming national convention, scheduled for late March.
A spokesperson for the Wike-aligned caretaker committee, Jungudo Mohammed, accused the governors’ camp of seeking court injunctions to halt the convention—claims dismissed by Ini Ememobong as “blackmail”.
The caretaker committee insists it retains legal authority following the court rulings and has vowed to proceed with the convention, framing any opposition as an attempt to destabilise the party.
Meanwhile, the Kano gathering—held during the annual Dandalin Kwankwasiyya event—drew a broad cross-section of political actors and supporters, underscoring the fluidity of alliances as the next electoral cycle begins to take shape.
For some observers, the convergence of figures spanning the PDP, Labour party and the Nigeria Democratic Congress points to the early contours of a possible opposition coalition. For others, it reflects a party still struggling to resolve internal contradictions before it can mount a credible national challenge.
With legal disputes unresolved and trust in short supply, the PDP’s ability to unify—or fragment further—may prove decisive in determining the balance of power in Nigeria’s 2027 elections.
