Ibadan, Nigeria — Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are currently meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, in what political observers are describing as a critical moment for the embattled opposition party.
The high-stakes gathering, which began on Sunday and is expected to continue through Monday, comes against a backdrop of escalating political tension in Rivers State and deepening internal discord within the PDP. Central to the closed-door deliberations is the fate of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who is entangled in a fierce legal showdown with the federal government following its controversial declaration of a state of emergency in the oil-rich state.
Governor Fubara—who also serves as the Vice Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum—faces possible suspension, a move many within the party see as both politically motivated and dangerously divisive.
Multiple party insiders say the governors are alarmed not just by the federal interference in Rivers, but also by the broader implications for democratic governance and the rule of law. “This is more than just Rivers State,” one source said. “This is about whether opposition voices will be allowed to function freely in Nigeria.”
But the Ibadan meeting is not solely focused on Rivers. Equally pressing is the festering crisis within the PDP itself. The repeated delays in convening a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting—a constitutional requirement—have further eroded confidence in the party’s national leadership. Analysts say the party’s inability to resolve its leadership disputes or define a clear direction has weakened its standing among both its members and the electorate.
Also on the agenda is a renewed push for a united opposition front ahead of the 2027 general elections. With Nigeria’s political landscape increasingly polarized, the PDP is reportedly exploring a broader coalition strategy to counter the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Party stakeholders insist that unity among opposition forces is the only path forward if the PDP hopes to mount a credible challenge in 2027. However, such an alliance may be difficult to forge unless internal cracks are mended.
Speaking to The Guardian, the Acting Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Oyo State, Michael Ogunsina, confirmed that “almost all the PDP governors” had arrived in Ibadan by Sunday evening, signaling the importance attached to the gathering.
Political watchers are keeping a close eye on the outcome of the meeting, as decisions taken in Ibadan could determine not only the future of Governor Fubara but also the direction of Nigeria’s main opposition party in the years to come.
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