Olawepo-Hashim: PDP Leadership Crisis Solvable in Seven Days

The protracted leadership struggle within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could reach a definitive conclusion within a single week if the party’s hierarchy prioritizes political diplomacy over legal warfare. This bold assertion was made on Tuesday by Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a foundation member and former presidential aspirant of the party. Speaking after a high-profile consultative meeting with the PDP National Chairman, Tanimu Turaki, SAN, Olawepo-Hashim emphasized that the path to stability lies within the party’s own constitutional framework rather than the courtrooms of Abuja.

The meeting, held as part of a strategic push for an out-of-court resolution, comes at a time when the PDP is grappling with the fallout from its contentious Ibadan convention. Olawepo-Hashim argued that the current impasse is a self-inflicted wound that can be healed through internal engagement. He maintained that prolonged litigation only serves to weaken the party’s role as a robust opposition, thereby undermining the health of Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.

Central to his proposed solution is the untapped power of the National Executive Committee (NEC). According to Olawepo-Hashim, the party currently possesses enough “legitimate” NEC members to convene a decisive session and resolve all outstanding disputes. He dismissed the notion that the party is legally paralyzed, insisting that a political solution is not only possible but urgently required to ensure the party’s survival ahead of future electoral cycles.

To back his claims, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary pointed to specific provisions in the PDP Constitution. He cited Sections 3(1) and 3(4), which provide a legal mechanism for two-thirds of NEC members to requisition a meeting. He noted that a vast majority of these members were elected prior to the disputed Ibadan convention, meaning their institutional legitimacy remains intact and beyond legal reproach.

The crisis has been complicated by the expiration of the tenures of several National Working Committee (NWC) members on December 8. However, Olawepo-Hashim contended that this administrative vacuum does not equate to a total collapse of authority. He argued that the pre-Ibadan NEC members retain the constitutional mandate to step in, take corrective actions, and fill leadership gaps in the overarching interest of the party’s stability.

Olawepo-Hashim’s intervention carries significant historical weight, given his role as one of the original conveners who helped birth the PDP in 1998. Having served as the party’s first elected Deputy National Publicity Secretary, his call for an “internal family” resolution resonates with many stakeholders who fear that judicial interference will only deepen the existing fractures between rival blocs.

As the Tanimu Turaki-led leadership considers its next move, the proposal for a “one-week” fix serves as both a challenge and a roadmap. The focus now shifts to whether the party’s various factions—many of whom are currently locked in fierce legal battles—will heed the call for an out-of-court settlement. For Olawepo-Hashim, the clock is ticking, and the ability of the NEC to assert its authority will determine whether the PDP emerges from this crisis as a unified force or remains a house divided.