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.
The chairmen said that in spite of current leadership and legal hurdles, the PDP possessed the internal strength to navigate its trials and remained 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.
“For us, the kind of challenge that the PDP is facing today is not something, unfortunately, that is new to us,” he said.
Recalling previous leadership tussles faced by the party, especially the crisis resolved under the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee, Turaki said that the party’s past challenges were far more daunting than its present situation.
“For us in PDP, while other political parties are having existential threat, while their existence is threatening, while their lives are shaking, nobody, and I dare say, nobody can kill the PDP.
“PDP will continue to live. There may be challenges here and there regarding the leadership of our party.
“Again, for us in PDP, this is nothing new. We will overcome. We shall overcome. We are overcoming,” he said.
Turaki noted that the meeting was to brief the party stakeholders on the recent legal developments, specifically judgement on a suit instituted by the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT).
The senior advocate added that the closed-door session of the meeting would analyse the judgement to map out strategic next steps.
He, however, said that the PDP was on course and would be on ballot for all elective positions in the 2027 general elections, “from the presidential down to the states houses of assembly election.”
Also in his remarks, 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, nomadic politicians” who repeatedly defected and returned.
Aliyu, however, said that those who abandoned the PDP under the impression that they could destroy it were currently facing worse political uncertainties in their new destinations.
“Part of my happiness is that those who thought they could kill PDP by running away to another party, they are the ones now suffering more than even what we are going through.
“In their case, they don’t even know what is there on the ground for them.
“It is unfortunate that people are not patient enough. It is unfortunate that some people try to play God by taking decisions that really belongs to God.
“Many of them, we have seen them jumping from one party to the other, for every election that has been conducted, but they forgot the success is not only in their effort,” Aliyu said.
He urged party loyalists to maintain patience, integrity and faith in the party’s legal path to recovery, while advising them to feel free to express their concerns at the meeting.
Chairman of the PDP State Chairmen’s Forum, Tony Aziegbemi, accused former PDP members now in the ruling fold, of attempting to desecrate national institutions and undermine the platform that elevated them.
Aziegbemi admitted that the party made past mistakes by elevating individuals who lacked true allegiance to democratic values.
He cautioned political leaders against unbridled greed and asset accumulation at the expense of millions of citizens facing economic hardship.
Aziegbemi also urged party faithful to remain steadfast, expressing confidence that the PDP would reclaim its rightful position to offer credible leadership to the nation.
