Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called on former members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who exited during the party’s leadership crisis to reconsider their decision and return.

Speaking in Abuja on Saturday at the inauguration of the PDP National Convention Committee, the Kogi Central lawmaker said the party needs the experience and institutional knowledge of its former members to regain its strength and relevance in national politics.

She noted that those who left still have a role to play in rebuilding the party, stressing that their contributions would be vital to its recovery and future success.

Akpoti-Uduaghan expressed hope that the inauguration of the committee signals a fresh start for the PDP, pointing to a sharp drop in its Senate presence—from 37 lawmakers to just six—as a consequence of internal divisions.

Recounting her interactions with some defectors, she said many cited unresolved disputes within the party as their reason for leaving. However, she urged them to return, insisting that the alternatives they embraced may not offer better prospects.

Also speaking, the chairman of the convention committee, Okezie Ikpeazu, described the moment as critical for the party’s future, calling it both “consequential” and a “moment of truth.”

He acknowledged the party’s recent legal and internal challenges but said a recent appellate court ruling affirming the National Caretaker Working Committee presents an opportunity for renewal.

Ikpeazu emphasised the need for genuine reconciliation, urging members to set aside differences and work toward unity built on sincerity and mutual respect.

The committee, he added, is tasked with organising a transparent and credible national convention that will produce a new National Working Committee and position the PDP for a stronger outing in the 2027 general elections.