The Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has responded to speculation that it might endorse President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 election, stressing that fixing internal divisions and party unity come first.
Speaking to ARISE NEWS on Thursday, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said the PDP needs a solid plan to settle internal conflicts before taking any stance on endorsements.
“It will be immoral, unjust for PDP to endorse Tinubu for 2027,” Ememobong said. He added that the party hopes reason will guide members over emotions during the reconciliation process. “The Turaki-led faction insists that this reconciliation aims to strengthen the party as an opposition, not as an appendage.”
While being careful, Ememobong did not rule out the party taking positions on national endorsements later. He noted that proper reconciliation and institutional reforms would allow the PDP to make thoughtful political decisions, including possible support or alignment with national leadership, once internal issues are settled.
Explaining the source of current tensions, Ememobong traced them to old disagreements that grew after the PDP lost power in 2015 and worsened following the Ibadan convention in November 2025.
To avoid future conflicts, he suggested setting up a professional, independent system—possibly using arbitration or mediation bodies—to act as an early warning, spotting tensions before they blow up.
“Sometimes you need external people to objectively assess positions and guide parties towards resolution,” he said, adding that while setting up such a system may be hard, it is vital to protect party unity and long-term stability.
Ememobong expressed hope that the reconciliation talks underway would succeed, stressing that lasting stability depends on handling conflicts early and making institutional reforms.
