President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration has undeniably stumbled, grappling with soaring inflation, persistent insecurity, and an economy teetering on the edge of stagnation. These glaring failures, painfully felt across Nigeria’s diverse regions, should be the perfect opening for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to reclaim relevance and power. Yet, the opposition remains frustratingly inert, unable to harness this fertile ground for political resurgence. This paradox raises a critical question: why is Nigeria’s main opposition party failing to translate the ruling APC’s shortcomings into its own political advantage?
The tragedy deepens when one recalls that the PDP itself created many of the political monsters now bedeviling Nigeria. The very character flaws—corruption, patronage, political tribalism, and opportunism—that define today’s APC were incubated and normalized during PDP’s near two-decade reign. The party crafted a system riddled with impunity and self-interest, a legacy that APC has inherited and, distressingly, amplified. The PDP now finds itself fighting ghosts it helped conjure, trapped by the very architecture of governance and political culture it once established.
The APC’s missteps are not subtle. Rampant fuel scarcity, erratic power supply, and a spiraling cost of living have created a palpable public discontent that permeates every strata of Nigerian society. Security challenges have grown more complex and violent, with banditry, kidnappings, and insurgency expanding their grip. The Tinubu administration’s promises have increasingly sounded hollow, overshadowed by a leadership seemingly more engrossed in political survival than substantive governance. Yet, in the face of this widespread dissatisfaction, the PDP’s response has been muted, fragmented, and at times, counterproductive.
The opposition’s failure stems partly from an internal malaise that saps its vitality. The PDP struggles with ideological incoherence and leadership crises that betray a party at odds with itself. Instead of positioning as a credible alternative, it lapses into the same factional bickering and power tussles that alienate the electorate. This absence of a coherent, compelling vision leaves Nigerians disillusioned and skeptical, robbing the opposition of the momentum needed to capitalize on APC’s faltering grip.
Moreover, the PDP’s political strategy suffers from complacency and a lack of innovation. There is a disconnect between the party’s leadership and grassroots realities. While the public grapples with economic hardship and insecurity, PDP’s messaging remains stuck in the past, recycling old narratives that fail to resonate with the evolving aspirations of Nigeria’s youth and urban voters. The party’s inability to craft a unifying, forward-looking platform stifles its appeal and leaves a vacuum that APC, despite its failures, manages to fill through incumbency advantages.
The media landscape, too, presents challenges that PDP has not fully leveraged. In an era dominated by social media and instant communication, the opposition’s digital outreach is underwhelming, lacking the vigor and coherence necessary to challenge APC’s narrative control. In contrast, the ruling party exploits state resources and patronage networks to maintain a dominant voice, drowning out dissent and critique. This imbalance perpetuates a political environment where failure by the ruling party does not automatically translate to gains for the opposition.
Ultimately, the PDP’s inability to capitalize on APC’s failures is a reflection of a deeper malaise in Nigerian democracy. It reveals a political culture where opposition is often reactive rather than visionary, where political competition is marred by personal ambitions rather than national service. For Nigeria to move forward, the opposition must evolve beyond mere criticism to present an inspiring, credible alternative that galvanizes hope and addresses the urgent challenges facing the nation. Without this transformation, the cycle of disappointment and political stagnation will persist, trapping Nigeria in an unending saga of failed promises and missed opportunities.
– Inah Boniface Ocholi writes from Ayah – Igalamela/Odolu LGA, Kogi state.
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