Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who represents Kogi Central, has raised alarm over the drastic reduction in the number of lawmakers elected under the Peoples Democratic Party in the Senate, disclosing that the party has lost 31 senators amid its lingering internal crisis.
She made this known on Saturday in Abuja during the inauguration of the PDP Convention Committee, an event party leaders consider pivotal to restoring cohesion and repositioning the opposition ahead of future elections. Her remarks were contained in a statement released on Sunday by her media aide, Mike Idoko.
Speaking at the event, the lawmaker acknowledged the challenges that have plagued the party but expressed hope that the latest development signals a new beginning.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I would say I’m extremely elated tonight simply because we have a political party,” she said.
“Congratulations to everyone here today. I know it’s not been easy. We’ve been on the news back and forth, and that has kept a lot of people wondering what befalls the PDP.”
Akpoti-Uduaghan recounted how the party’s presence in the Senate has steadily declined, linking the development to internal disputes that unsettled the PDP in recent times.
“When I joined, it was late November 2023. We were 37 PDP senators. But today we’re only six. I tell you, it wasn’t easy. It was almost like at every sitting, you were expecting senators to decamp,” she noted.
She further revealed that several of her colleagues who defected cited the leadership crisis as their reason for leaving, adding that the situation appears to have improved.
“When I asked a few of them why they were leaving the party, they mentioned the leadership crisis. So I’m saying this to my colleagues who have decamped — trust me, it’s not greener on the other side. You are all welcome back to the PDP,” she added.
In his acceptance speech as chairman of the PDP 2026 National Convention Committee, former Abia State governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, described the moment as decisive for the party’s future.
“Today is not just ceremonial, it is consequential. This convention is more than a gathering; it is a reckoning. A moment of truth,” Ikpeazu declared.
He acknowledged that internal conflicts and prolonged legal battles had tested the unity and resilience of the party.
“We have passed through a difficult phase marked by internal disagreements, institutional strain, and a protracted legal battle that travelled from the Federal High Court to the Court of Appeal,” he said.
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Ikpeazu noted that the appellate court’s affirmation of the National Caretaker Working Committee presents an opportunity for renewal.
“It is not merely a legal victory, it is a moral and political reset. It offers us a rare opportunity to rebuild, restore confidence, and reaffirm due process within our party,” he stated.
He stressed the importance of reconciliation in the party’s rebuilding process, urging members to set aside differences and work together.
“What the PDP needs at this moment is honest reconciliation, rooted in truth, driven by sincerity, and sustained by mutual respect,” Ikpeazu said.
“We must have the courage to listen to one another, the humility to admit where we went wrong, and the strength to forgive.”
The committee chairman also called on stakeholders across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to support the process with discipline and a shared commitment to success.
“Our mission is to deliver a smooth, transparent, and widely accepted convention that will produce a credible National Working Committee capable of repositioning the PDP for victory in the 2027 general elections,” he added.
The inauguration of the convention committee is seen as a significant move toward stabilising the PDP, rebuilding trust among its members, and strengthening its role as a major opposition force, particularly in the Senate where its representation has sharply declined in recent months.