Abuja: The Chairman, Interim National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Tanimu Turaki (SAN), says that the main opposition party remains resilient and cannot be erased from Nigeria’s political landscape. Turaki made the assertion at a crucial PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja on Thursday.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the chairman stated that despite current leadership and legal hurdles, the PDP possesses the internal strength to navigate its trials and remains a major political force in Nigerian politics. “For us in PDP, we’ve seen all seasons. We’ve seen the good times. We’ve also seen the bad times. We’ve seen days of prosperity, just as we’ve also seen days of adversity. We’ve seen successes, and we’ve seen challenges,” Turaki said. He emphasized that the challenges faced by the PDP today are not new and recalled previous leadership tussles resolved under the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee.
Turaki expressed confidence that while other political parties face existential threats, nobody can kill the PDP. He noted that the current challenges regarding leadership are nothing new to the party and assured that they would overcome them. The meeting was convened to brief party stakeholders on recent legal developments, specifically a judgment on a suit instituted by the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT). Turaki added that the closed-door session would analyze the judgment to map out strategic next steps.
Further addressing the party’s future, Turaki declared that the PDP was on course and would be on the ballot for all elective positions in the 2027 general elections, from the presidential down to the states’ houses of assembly election.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Secretary of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), Dr. Babangida Aliyu, attributed part of the party’s setbacks to ‘internal combustion’ and the actions of self-serving politicians who repeatedly defected and returned. Aliyu remarked that those who left the PDP under the belief that they could destroy it are now facing worse political uncertainties in their new affiliations.
Aliyu urged party loyalists to maintain patience, integrity, and faith in the party’s legal path to recovery, advising them to express their concerns freely at the meeting.
Tony Aziegbemi, the Chairman of the PDP State Chairmen’s Forum, accused former PDP members now in the ruling fold of attempting to undermine national institutions and the platform that elevated them. He admitted that the party made past mistakes by elevating individuals without true democratic values and cautioned political leaders against greed and asset accumulation at the expense of citizens facing economic hardship.
Aziegbemi called on party faithful to remain steadfast, expressing confidence that the PDP would reclaim its rightful position to offer credible leadership to the nation.