The PDP National Convention in Ibadan has left the party more divided than ever. His Excellency, Governor Fintiri, openly confirmed the absence of INEC officials at the venue — a troubling indication that the crisis shaking the party has deepened beyond surface disagreements.
With the announcement of the expulsion of Wike, Fayose, Ortom and others, the PDP is clearly entering a new phase of internal conflict. Instead of calming tensions, the pronouncement has created even more cracks, as two PDP governors have already distanced themselves from the decision, signalling that the party is no longer speaking with one voice.
While the Convention may have come and gone, one fact remains clear: Wike and his bloc are still firmly positioned to influence the final outcome. If the current trajectory continues, the PDP may eventually fail to present a candidate acceptable to INEC. Prolonged factional battles, court cases, and internal sabotage could stretch well into early 2027.
More worrisome is the legal confusion surrounding the event. A Convention halted by a Federal High Court order was later permitted by a lower court — raising a fundamental constitutional question: How can a lower court override an existing Federal High Court order on a national political matter?
A more strategic approach by the PDP National Executive Committee would have been to adopt the transition model used by the ADC — a structured reorganisation that could have prevented today’s chaos.
It is no secret that Wike, Fayose, Ortom and others have been consistent supporters of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. They openly backed him in 2023 and have no EFCC troubles hanging over their heads. It is unrealistic to expect them to abandon the same political structure in 2027.
For the PDP governors quietly moving toward the APC, the motive is simple: securing a second term. In today’s political landscape, any PDP governor who refuses to align with the influence and political rhythm of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike does so at his own risk. The message is clear follow the tune or fall behind.
Unless the PDP urgently embraces sincere reconciliation and structural reforms, the party may be heading toward a slow collapse from a once formidable national opposition to a fractured organisation losing relevance by the day.
– Comrade Adabara A. Adabara writes from Ukpogo, Checkpoint, Okene.
