By Fresh Facts Magazine Staff Writer
Former Senate President and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bukola Saraki, has applauded what he described as a major turning point for the party and Nigeria’s democracy, following the successful conclusion of the PDP’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja.
Despite initial tensions and the presence of police operatives around the PDP National Secretariat on the eve of the gathering, the party leadership proceeded undeterred, choosing consensus and reconciliation over division.
In a personally signed statement issued shortly after the meeting on Monday, Saraki declared: “There was no victor and no vanquished. The winner today is the PDP—and indeed, Nigeria’s democracy.”
Describing the NEC meeting as both historic and symbolic, Saraki noted that the party had arrived at a critical junction, where it could either implode or embrace unity. “It was a symbolic gathering, as the meeting could have either been the breaking point, going by events of the last 48 hours, or the junction to cross the Rubicon and march forward into greater heights. Our esteemed leaders chose the latter,” he said.
Saraki, who currently chairs the PDP National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee established by the PDP Governors’ Forum, commended party stakeholders for putting the collective interest of the PDP above individual ambitions. He revealed that frank discussions dominated the closed-door meeting, during which leaders agreed to bury their differences and work collaboratively toward rebuilding the party.
“To achieve victory for the party and the great people under its golden umbrella, all the leaders at the meeting resolved to jettison our differences and rally together to pursue a common goal: forget the past, rebuild trust that might have been broken, and give peace a chance,” he stated.
Saraki expressed particular satisfaction with the atmosphere of unity and compromise that characterized the meeting, highlighting it as a reassuring sign for millions of PDP supporters across the country’s 774 local government areas. “The spirit of give and take dominated our frank discussions,” he said. “I am particularly happy that we all agreed on the need for unity as a way of sending a signal to the entire nation that the PDP can only wax stronger.”
Looking ahead, Saraki announced that the next NEC meeting would hold on July 23, as the party intensifies preparations for its National Convention. He emphasized the need to sustain the momentum from the latest meeting and reposition the PDP as a formidable opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a veiled response to critics who had predicted internal implosion within the party, Saraki said, “It is good that we have disappointed the pessimists. I hope that with the outcome of today’s meeting, we have disproved the false propaganda being circulated in some quarters that those of us who chose to remain in PDP are only scheming for the death of the party. If this false narrative were true, the leaders who shifted positions to give peace a chance would have chosen an alternative course of action.”
He further underscored the vital role of opposition in a thriving democracy, asserting that “without a vibrant opposition, democracy dies.” According to him, the PDP must rise to the expectations of Nigerians by offering credible leadership alternatives and safeguarding democratic values.
Saraki concluded his statement by thanking PDP members nationwide for their steadfastness and commitment, expressing hope that the spirit of unity forged at the NEC meeting would endure. “Once again, I thank all our leaders and the numerous members of this great party for their efforts,” he said.
The PDP’s latest show of solidarity marks a significant milestone in its ongoing internal reconciliation process and could signal a renewed effort to position itself as a credible contender in Nigeria’s political space.
