Former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has warned that division within PDP will be costly, affecting Nigerian democracy itself if the party fails to present a credible and formidable front.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, 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”
He added, “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.”
Ologbondiyan stated, “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 of being overturned through pressure, 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.”
Touching on the blockade by the party’s secretariat, Ologbondiyan said, ”What happened at the party secretariat especially involving the police and the reported mistreatment of members of the Board of Trustees (BOT), as well as party staff is completely inconsistent with a situation where a party is functioning smoothly and in harmony.
“I find it very strange and unfortunate that party leaders claimed they invited the police to “maintain peace” during internal party affairs, or they called the police because a particular leader was not informed that the BOT was meeting.
“In every proper party procedure, the National Executive Committee (NEC) process starts with a meeting of the Board of Trustees. So, it’s very strange that a NEC meeting would be planned, but the BOT members who are recognized leaders and hold important party functions try to meet and are then disrespected by police officers
“That said, the meeting did go ahead, and some agreements were reached. However, it’s unclear whether those agreements truly reflect the will of the broader membership of the party.”
However, he expressed that the party is aware that they must show respect to the Southeast region, especially considering recent events, saying whether the Southeast will accept any reconciliation effort from the party is uncertain.
He added that there are conditions to reinstating Anyanwu, stating, “In reinstating him, he must not victimise any of the staff of the Wadata Plaza National Secretariat of the party. Two, that he must not act in any way that will negatively disturb the process of arriving at the convention in August 2025.
“Three, that the proposed NEC of the party, scheduled for July 23rd, must hold, and he must write letters beginning from today to INEC to notify them of the July 23rd NEC meeting, which will be the 101st NEC meeting. So, I think that those conditions are already enforced. So, we have 22 days to the July 23rd NEC, and it’s expected to run.”
Boluwatife Oyaniyi
Follow us on:
