Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has highlighted the two significant challenges confronting the major opposition political party in the country.
Bellnews reports that Ologbondiyan, in an interview on ARISE Television, stated that some party members are aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s government, while others are seeking to form a coalition to unseat the current administration and end the nation’s suffering.
However, Ologbondiyan warned that division within the PDP will be costly, affecting Nigerian democracy itself if the party fails to present a credible and formidable front.
He said, “The major challenge facing the party today, one we can’t ignore no matter how hard we try is that there are members who claim to be PDP, yet openly support President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
“On the other hand, there are those who say, yes, we are still PDP members, but are entering into coalitions with the Labour Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), the NNPP, civil society groups, students, and others all in an effort to challenge the current state of the nation. So everybody is going one way or the other.
“I believe we must begin by focusing on how the party can renew its credibility, particularly regarding party positions and leadership roles. That’s the first critical step.
“Given the way things have unfolded and how deep the divisions in the party have become, I don’t know how the party’s leadership will be able to realign these forces to work together and support the PDP’s official candidates.
“The cost to the PDP, and even more to Nigerian democracy, is enormous, especially with the growing perception and reality of Nigeria heading toward a one-party state. That could do serious damage to the democratic process and to the Nigerian people themselves. We must confront this reality.”
Addressing the reinstatement of Samuel Anyanwu as PDP National Secretary, alongside speculations that it was overturned due to pressure, Ologbondiyan stated that there is no further litigation against the party.
He said, “Well, basically there’s no litigation against the PDP, in respect of the National Secretary. And the only litigation that I’m aware of, and which exists in the party, is the one by Anyanwu himself, against the party. So I know that there’s no litigation.
“Talking about overturning, I think the issue in PDP has gone beyond that. I think the issue in PDP, essentially, is about divisions among those who seek to incubate the party ahead of 2027 and make it less viable for participation in the 2027 presidential election. As well as those who are insisting that, look, the party cannot stay aloof.
“The party must participate in the 2027 election. And they are proceeding from there to say, look, if the party is not going to participate, they look elsewhere and see how they can rally coalition in the interests of Nigerians. I think that is where the issue is.”