SENATOR NATASHA AKPOTI-UDUAGHAN URGES DEFECTED PDP MEMBERS TO RETURN, REBUILD PARTY AHEAD OF 2027.(PHOTO).

 Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has made a passionate appeal to former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who defected to other platforms, urging them to return home and help rebuild the party.

The senator delivered the call on Saturday during the inauguration of the PDP National Convention Organising Committee in Abuja, an event seen as a key step in the party’s recovery efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Addressing party faithful, Akpoti-Uduaghan highlighted the value that returning members would bring, including their experience, institutional memory, and shared commitment to a better Nigeria.

She expressed optimism that the inauguration signals a genuine turning point for the PDP, which has seen its Senate caucus shrink dramatically from 37 to just 6 senators largely due to prolonged internal leadership crises and defections.

“When I asked colleagues why they left, they mentioned internal disputes. I’m saying to them: trust me, it’s not greener on the other side. You’re welcome back to PDP,” she declared, extending an open invitation for reconciliation.

The Chairman of the Convention Committee and former Abia State Governor, Okezie Victor Ikpeazu, described the occasion as “consequential” and a defining “moment of truth” for the party.

Ikpeazu acknowledged the PDP’s recent challenges, including factional disputes and extended legal battles, but pointed to the Court of Appeal’s recent affirmation of the National Caretaker Working Committee as a critical reset and fresh opportunity for renewal.

He emphasized the urgent need for honest reconciliation, describing it as essential for the party’s survival and resurgence.

“What PDP needs is honest reconciliation, rooted in truth, driven by sincerity, and sustained by mutual respect,” the former governor stated, calling on all members to rise above past divisions and focus on collective rebuilding.