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Crisis: PDP still a strong opposition platform, threat to APC — Pearse (Page 106)

By Adeyemi Adeleye

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, says the current challenges facing the party are not as serious as widely perceived, insisting that the party remains a strong opposition platform.

Pearse said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, while reacting to the recent Appeal Court ruling invalidating the outcome of the 2025 Ibadan PDP National Convention and the lingering leadership crisis in the party.

The crisis has polarised the party and led to the defection of some governors and federal and state lawmakers to other political parties.

Pearse, who served on the 2023 Presidential Campaign Committee of Atiku Abubakar and is Convener of the Reset Lagos PDP group, maintained that the party remained relevant despite the internal disputes.

“What is happening to the PDP is not as disastrous as many people think. People in their minds are still with the party as the main opposition party.

“PDP is still the biggest threat to the ruling party and that is why the troubles are many.

“The loss of some governors and lawmakers to the ruling party and other political parties does not show we are finished at all,” he said.

Pearse said that the party’s core supporters had remained loyal despite recent defections.

“It does not mean anything at all because the people that elected them are still with the party as the only party that cares about their welfare and well-being.

“Our core members are not following these defectors to the parties they have moved to. They are still with us. We are not bothered, just like Gov. Seyi Makinde recently said.

“We will overcome these challenges and God will vindicate the true lovers of the party as against the sellouts who do not mean well for the party,” he said.

He urged a factional PDP Caretaker National Working Committee (NWC) loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, to allow the party leadership space to resolve its internal issues.

Pearse said that the Appeal Court, which ruled against the Ibadan National Convention, also upheld the suspended national officers in the factional caretaker committee.

Expressing confidence that the Kabiru Turaki-led PDP National Working Committee would get justice at the Supreme Court, Pearse said there was no need for another national convention to elect party executives.

He said that the November 2025 Ibadan convention was properly conducted by the legitimate leadership under the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, with more than 3,000 delegates drawn from across the country.

Pearse also dismissed calls by former Senate President Bukola Saraki for a fresh national convention to address the party’s internal challenges,following the Appeal Court ruling.

“The national convention held on Nov. 16, 2025 in Ibadan already represented the collective will of the party, being the highest decision-making organ of the PDP with delegates drawn from all states of the federation.

“The convention deliberated extensively on the challenges facing the party, including allegations of anti-party activities by some members, and resolutions were reached through a democratic process,” he said.

He added that reopening issues already resolved by the convention could undermine internal stability in the party.

“Rather than reopening issues that were already decided at the national convention, party stakeholders should focus on strengthening unity and consolidating the party ahead of future political contests,” Pearse said.

Pearse also criticised Saraki’s role during earlier reconciliation efforts within the party.

“At the height of the conflict between Wike and the PDP NWC led by Damagum, the former Senate President, as Chairman of the party’s Reconciliation Committee, instead of solving the problem made the problem worse by taking sides,” he alleged. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

AYO/BHB

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Edited by Buhari Bolaji

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Crisis: PDP still a strong opposition platform, threat to APC — Pearse (Page 106)