Supreme Court verdict: Natasha urges aggrieved PDP leaders to reconcile

Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, on Friday called on aggrieved leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party to embrace reconciliation and resolve lingering internal disputes following recent court pronouncements affecting the party’s leadership structure.

Her appeal comes amid fresh tensions within the PDP triggered by judicial decisions and factional disagreements that have further deepened divisions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The lawmaker made the call in a statement issued in Abuja by her media aide, Mike Idoko.

Reacting to the controversy trailing the Supreme Court’s latest decision, Akpoti-Uduaghan cautioned against misinformation and stressed that the ruling had been widely misinterpreted in political discourse.

She said, “The Supreme Court judgment only invalidated the Ibadan Convention,” urging party faithful and the public to “beware of propaganda” distorting the implications of the verdict.

“I sincerely wish that all aggrieved members of our PDP family resolve matters amicably,” she said, while extending goodwill to other political parties ahead of future electoral contests” Akpoti-Uduaghan added.

The Supreme Court ruling, which stemmed from a factional leadership dispute, effectively nullified the Ibadan Convention, a development that has continued to trigger political realignments within the opposition party.

However, the senator clarified that issues surrounding the suspension of the party’s National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu, were not part of the Supreme Court’s determination.

Providing further clarification, she explained that the Court of Appeal had earlier affirmed a one-month suspension imposed on Anyanwu and three others during the PDP’s 608th National Working Committee meeting held on November 1, 2025.

“That suspension was not contested, and it lapsed on December 1, 2025,” she stated.

She further noted that after the expiration of the suspension, the affected members were subsequently included in a caretaker committee constituted on December 8, 2025, mandated to oversee party affairs and prepare for the March 2026 national convention.

According to her, the outcome of the March convention remains institutionally recognised, adding that the current leadership structure of the PDP is duly reflected on the portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

Despite the ongoing internal wrangling, Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed optimism about the party’s prospects in the next general elections.

“The PDP will field candidates in the 2027 general elections, and we shall definitely win a good number of seats,” she boasted.

Her remarks come at a sensitive period for the PDP, as stakeholders continue to grapple with legal interpretations, leadership disputes and internal restructuring ahead of the 2027 electoral contest.