A former Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has described the 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a victory for both the party and Nigeria’s democracy, declaring that “there was no victor and no vanquished.”
Saraki made this known in a personally signed statement on Monday evening, following the high-stakes NEC session held at the PDP National Secretariat in Abuja. The meeting, which held despite heightened tension and a police presence around the premises the previous day, was hailed as a turning point for the party’s internal cohesion.
“It was a symbolic gathering,” Saraki said. “The meeting could have either been the breaking point, going by events of the last 48 hours, or the junction to cross the Rubicon and march forward into greater heights. Our esteemed leaders chose the latter.”
According to Saraki, the NEC deliberations focused on healing divisions within the party and reaffirming PDP’s position as Nigeria’s leading opposition platform.
“Today, there was no victor and no vanquished. The winner today is the PDP. Another winner is Nigeria’s democracy because, without a vibrant opposition, democracy dies,” he noted.
He emphasised that the outcome marked a new dawn for the PDP, as members agreed to put past grievances behind them and work collectively towards a stronger future.
Saraki, who chairs the PDP Governors Forum’s National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee, commended party leaders for their willingnessto make personal sacrifices in the interest of unity.
“All the leaders at the meeting resolved to jettison our differences and rally together to pursue a common goal: forget the past, rebuild trust that might have been broken, and give peace a chance,” he stated.
He expressed gratitude to key stakeholders who had earlier held opposing views but later chose to concede positions for the sake of party harmony.
Looking ahead, Saraki expressed optimism that the PDP would reclaim its place as a viable alternative capable of delivering good governance to Nigerians.
“I am particularly happy about the meeting for two reasons,” he explained. “One, we all agreed on the need for unity… Two, the spirit of give and take dominated our frank discussions.”
Saraki revealed that the next major gathering of the PDP NEC is scheduled for 23 July, to be followed by preparations for the party’s National Convention.
In what appeared to be a direct response to critics and speculation about a looming implosion within the PDP, Saraki said the NEC meeting had proven the doubters wrong.
“It is good that we have disappointed the pessimists… We are determined to make the party a strong opposition, capable of winning the next general election and serving our people better,” he said.
He praised the dedication of PDP members across the 774 local government areas in Nigeria and assured that the new-found spirit of reconciliation would be sustained.
“Once again, I thank all our leaders and the numerous members of this great party for their efforts,” he concluded.
