According to a report by Leadership, on Wednesday April 1, 2026, former Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kawu Baraje, has called on the party’s new leadership to focus on reconciliation and unity following its recent internal crisis.
Baraje stated that disagreements are normal in any large political group, especially one as big as the PDP, according to him, what matters most is how such disagreements are handled and explained that conflicts can grow worse if not properly managed, sometimes even leading to court cases.
Speaking after the party’s national convention in Abuja, Baraje stressed that the period after elections should be used to heal divisions, and urged party leaders to reach out to members who feel sidelined or unhappy, he said reconciliation, rebuilding, and restructuring are necessary steps for the party to move forward.
Baraje spoke about the theme of the convention, which focused on inclusiveness, unity, and renewal, he explained that reconciliation naturally leads to unity, as it brings people with different views together and added that efforts are already ongoing to reconnect with aggrieved members and encourage them to return to active participation in the party.
On the issue of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Baraje described his political position as a personal choice, he said Wike remains an important member of the PDP and should not be judged unfairly, however, he noted that if any member is accused of acting against the party, such matters should be handled according to the party’s constitution.
Baraje dismissed claims that PDP leaders are controlled by a single individual and explained that party officials are selected through a zoning and consensus process across different regions of the country.