As 2027 dey draw near, di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) don hold im national convention for Abuja, but di gist no complete without some wahala. Bukola Saraki, former Senate President, yarn say e go shame if PDP name no dey for ballot paper because of inside fight. Na for Moshood Abiola National Stadium di thing happen, and Saraki talk say di journey reach here no easy at all.
“Make I yarn you true,” Saraki tell Channels Television. “Dis matter don make person emotional small. We don try for reconciliation, we don take attack up and down. But wetin dey push us na make we allow people wey wan contest for 2027 under PDP platform. E go shame if by our own hand, we no dey for dat ballot.”
Di man talk say when e enter di stadium, see crowd, see INEC officials dey there, e just say “Alhamdulillah.” According to am, dat one na di main thing wey matter. “Everything else na secondary,” Saraki add. “Di attendance show say PDP still get root for across Nigeria. And because INEC dey here, people dey excited. Dem no dey excited about all di wahala—dem dey excited because now dem fit follow dia ambition with platform.”
But as Saraki dey talk unity, anoda tori dey ground. INEC don update im website, list Abdulrahman Mohammed as PDP National Chairman. Dis na di faction wey Nyesom Wike, Minister of Federal Capital Territory, dey support. Di update come after convention wey hold for same Abuja stadium, where Abdulrahman and Samuel Anyanwu win positions.
Wike, for im own speech, declare say PDP don overcome leadership crisis wey nearly kill di party. “Together we fight against people wey dey push ethnic and geographic division,” Wike yarn. “We win di people wey abandon di party core values. We don return di party to di rightful owners—di people.”
But di matter no finish. Kabiru Turaki faction don carry di case go Supreme Court, ask court to stop Wike camp from holding convention. So INEC update na big move wey observers dey watch. E fit mean say electoral body don recognize di list wey dem submit.
Meanwhile, for anoda corner, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, member of House of Representatives from Imo State, commend INEC for extending deadline for political parties to submit membership register. Di deadline shift from April 21 to May 10, 2026. Ugochinyere talk say di extension na good move wey show INEC dey committed to inclusive process.
“Di extension go give parties time to organize dia records well,” di lawmaker explain. “Make all eligible members dey accounted for. Dis one na transparency and fairness.” Ugochinyere hail INEC chairman Professor Joash Amupitan, call di decision “proactive step wey dey strengthen democracy.”
Back to PDP matter, Saraki insist say reconciliation go continue. “For those wey no dey here today, I hope say door no close,” Saraki talk. “I go still dey talk to dem. We get time. Dis convention go make di conversation better. I believe more reconciliation go happen as we dey go.”
Di former governor emphasize say di main concern na young man for Katsina, young lady for Zamfara, anoda young lady for Kaduna wey wan contest House of Assembly or House of Representatives. “Dem want PDP platform; dem no want APC, dem no want ADC. Make we make dat possible for dem,” Saraki plead. “Di issues about us leaders, make we put am behind. We nearly lose dis opportunity for PDP. But today, we get chance to dey for 2027 ballot and keep di party moving.”
As INEC website don update with Abdulrahman Mohammed name, di political atmosphere dey thick. Observers dey watch to see how di legal cases go play out. Di Turaki faction no gree, and Wike camp dey celebrate. For now, PDP get two recognized factions—one for INEC website, anoda for court papers.
Di 2027 election dey far, but di race don start. Political analysts dey watch if PDP go truly unite or if di internal wahala go affect dia chances. Saraki warning dey hang for air: own goal fit cost di party di whole match.
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