The Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) held a closed-door meeting with former President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday evening in Maitama, Abuja.
The meeting, attended by Turaki and his entire NWC alongside several state PDP chairmen, took place at Jonathan’s office around 5:45 pm, with the delegation arriving in a convoy of SUVs. While participants declined to disclose specifics of the discussions, party insiders told The PUNCH that the agenda was centred on the party’s persistent internal crisis, efforts to rebuild and reposition the PDP ahead of the 2027 general election, and broader national political issues.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of an ongoing leadership crisis within the PDP that has seen competing factions lay claim to the party’s national leadership structure. In November 2025, a faction loyal to Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and former Minister of Special Duties under President Jonathan, emerged as the newly elected NWC following a contentious national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State.
However, that leadership has not been universally recognised. On December 22, 2025, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected recognition of the Turaki-led NWC, citing pending court cases and subsisting judicial orders relating to the legality of the Ibadan convention and the emergence of the new NWC.
Sources familiar with the meeting said that Turaki and his team sought Jonathan’s counsel as one of the PDP’s most senior figures and a former head of state. Jonathan’s presidency (2010–2015) was marked by intense internal party negotiations and coalition-building, experiences party leaders believe remain relevant to the current moment.
A PDP insider, speaking on condition of anonymity, told PUNCH the gathering was “aimed at strengthening internal dialogue, seeking perspectives on party unity, and strategising for upcoming electoral challenges.” While no formal communiqué was issued after the meeting, the visit’s symbolism, bringing the factional leadership under one roof with a former president, stood out in local political commentary.
The party’s internal divisions have been manifested in parallel leadership claims, legal battles, public disputes and attempts by rival camps to assert control over party structures such as the National Secretariat in Abuja.
Earlier in the crisis, the Turaki-aligned group assumed control of the national secretariat amid clashes with supporters of the rival faction aligned with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike. That confrontation even involved police cordons and allegations of unlawful disruption at the headquarters.
In response, some party leaders outside the Turaki camp have called for alternative structures, including calls by former Jigawa state governor Sule Lamido for the formation of a caretaker committee to replace the current NWC.
Jonathan, who has in recent years played informal mediation roles in national political disputes, has not publicly commented on the meeting. But his reputation as a conciliatory figure, especially among segments of the PDP, makes his engagement notable. Political analysts suggest that a gathering with Jonathan signals an attempt by the Turaki faction to bolster its legitimacy and seek broader influence ahead of decisive pre-election organising.
With litigation still ongoing and INEC yet to formally recognise the party leadership elected at the controversial Ibadan convention, the PDP remains in one of the most fractious periods in its recent history. Analysts say the pacting of senior figures, such as a former president, is part of a broader effort to rebuild party cohesion, manage high-profile defections and position the PDP as a viable contender for the presidency in 2027.
