2027 Polls Without PDP?

There are clear signs that, for the first time since Nigeria’s present democratic dispensation  began in 1999, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may not be on the ballot. The once-dominant political party that boasted then that it would rule the nation for 60 years, is now a shadow of its former self that doubts are becoming rife about its viability as a platform for political contestation.

PDP has been embroiled in internal disputes that began before the 2023 elections and has remained unresolved to this day. This crisis has resulted in numerous litigations, suspensions and counter-suspensions, and even the sealing of its national headquarters.

There has been a struggle for the party’s soul, culminating in the rise of the Wike-led faction, headed by the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, and the faction supported by Bauchi state Governor Bala Mohammed and his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde.

Recently, the Court of Appeal delivered its verdict on appeals arising from rulings by Justices James Omotoso and Peter Lifu. It also issued a judgment on the ruling by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

The Court upheld the decision that voided the Ibadan national convention of the party, which established the Tanimu Turaki-led national working committee backed by Governors Bala and Makinde. It also confirmed that Samuel Anyanwu’s suspension, a loyalist of Wike, is valid.

Fundamentally, the Appellate Court’s ruling, which voids the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee that was formed at the controversial Ibadan Convention, has further intensified the party’s problems. For the PDP, the issues persist, and there is no sign they will ease soon, especially since the Turaki faction has pledged to take the matter to the Supreme Court.

With preparations for the 2027 polls in full swing following the release of the timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it is doubtful that a distracted PDP can get its house in order to effectively participate in the activities that will culminate in the polls.

For example, INEC has scheduled party primaries for 23 April and 30 May 2026. Political parties, serious about the elections, have already started preparations. Unfortunately for the PDP, it is being hampered by leadership disputes which, in all essential respects, have left not only its members but also INEC in a dilemma over which faction to recognise.

Sadly, the PDP is the architect of its own misfortunes. The way it descended from its enviable position as the largest political party in Africa to a party in disarray, with slim chances of participating in the 2027 general election, is indeed a lesson for most Nigerian politicians, generally, and party leaders specifically.

We assert that the PDP is facing the repercussions of its prolonged period of impunity, as it neglected its constitution, rules, and operational procedures. For too long, the party took its members and, indeed, numerous Nigerians for granted. The consequences have now caught up with it.

Other political parties, including the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), must learn from the PDP’s decline. If anything, PDP’s current difficulties demonstrate that there is a limit to impunity. The party failed to manage its success, and it is doubtful it will ever get that chance again.

Almost everyone who mattered has left the PDP. The party is now a shadow of what a true political party should be. Since 2023, the party has suffered the worst defection in Nigerian political history. With about 10 governors elected after the 2023 elections, the PDP’s governor queue has reduced to just two.

Is PDP facing the consequences of karma? Could its current crisis be resolved in time for it to actively participate in the 2027 elections by nominating candidates for all elective positions? What steps is the party’s board of trustees taking to address this seemingly intractable crisis?

This newspaper is not surprised by the current troubles of the PDP. In our opinion, they are mostly self-inflicted. Even during its heyday, the PDP struggled with a clear lack of internal democracy, the imposition of candidates, and persistent leadership changes, which led to it becoming one of the political parties with the highest number of national chairmen. There is hardly any national chairman who successfully completed his tenure. Sad. But that is the legacy of the PDP.

Therefore, the party must endure the consequences of its many years of impunity. Despite this, the party’s likely absence from the 2027 polls is concerning, as it will further reduce the options available to Nigerians. Therefore, we urge the remaining few members of the party to do everything possible to resolve this ongoing leadership crisis and position the party to compete seriously in the 2027 elections. Time is running out.