The former presidential candidate and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has urged for immediate reconciliation within the party due to its intensifying internal crisis.
Olawepo-Hashim’s call follows a factional convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, which proceeded despite conflicting court orders and a restraining judgment against the exercise. He stated that this event further underscores the growing divisions within the opposition party.
He referenced the party’s formation 27 years ago, recalling that the PDP emerged from the merger of various political associations achieved through extensive consultations and compromise. He noted that the founders established the platform to strengthen democratic governance, promote federalism, and ensure national unity.
He emphasized that the party’s initial successes, such as winning a majority of seats in the 1998 local government elections, were a result of an inclusive and consultative approach.
According to Olawepo-Hashim, the current ongoing disputes, legal conflicts, and internal exclusion threaten the party’s core founding principles. He strongly urged the party leaders to prioritize dialogue and reconciliation to stabilize the PDP and, consequently, strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.
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