There are indications that recent events which have shaken the Labour Party (LP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to their core foundations might orchestrate their complete collapse and extinction before the 2027 general election, thus giving the All Progressives Congress (APC) a leeway to coasting to victory in the absence of credible opposition parties
By Udoka Ekeleme, Abuja
The crises rocking the Labour Party (LP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), two major opposition parties since after the 2023 general election, have left both parties grappling with survival. They have also resulted in mass exodus of numerous members of both parties to the ruling APC. Hence, there have been insinuations from diverse quarters that the LP and PDP cannot survive till 2027 when another round of election will come up in the country.
The crises rocking these parties have been blamed on the hidden plot by the APC to distabilise them in order to achieve a one-party system in the country before 2027. Although the ruling APC has denied the plot citing lack of internal leadership within the parties, the body language of some notable members of the APC indicate that the party is bent on exterminating opposition.
For example, the National Chairman of APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, have insisted that the destruction of the PDP, and by extension the LP, is imminent.
Ganduje maintained that the PDP was on its way to extinction, while he was reacting to remarks made by former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, who had projected that the APC will soon disintegrate and that former PDP members, including Ganduje, would return to the opposition PDP.
However, the APC Chairman, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Edwin Olofu, reacted that such prediction by Lamido was baseless and illogical.
The statement said, “In fact, we will soon receive Sule Lamido because soon, he won’t have a place to go. The PDP is dead.
“It is evident to any discerning observer that under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, the APC continues to gain momentum, with prominent political figures across the country defecting to the party in large numbers.
“With such overwhelming national support, the APC remains focused on consolidating its achievements and preparing for a resounding victory in the 2027 general elections.”
Aligning his views with that of Ganduje on the imminent demise of opposition parties, the former Rivers State governor, Wike, said the PDP would soon implode due to insincerity of its leaders who were only fixated on fighting him because he took a job with an APC-led administration.
Wike also warned that ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the PDP was already acting with impunity and making the same mistakes that made it lose the 2023 presidential election.
Speaking during a media parley in Abuja, the FCT minister said, “First of all, I believe in sincerity. If you must achieve results, be sincere. Some people think that telling half-truths or being too smart will help you.
“Rather, it destroys you. If PDP does not take care, and I say it again, watch out what will happen. You know, selfish interest can kill an organisation. You have not won an election, you are excluding people.
“You have not won an election, you are saying you don’t want this man. You know the man can fight back. Now, let’s tell ourselves the simple truth, in 2023, we told the party, look, it is in our constitution. It is in our tradition.
“When these people take the chairmanship, you people will go for a presidential candidate. Because of selfish interest, they manipulated the system. They said no, we shouldn’t do zoning now. Hold on, we will do zoning.
“Before we knew it, some people had gone to buy form, we laughed. It’s okay. You don’t want to do zoning. Now, a zone took the chairman of the party. A zone took the presidential candidate. It’s okay.
“For peace to reign, we can have a voice. They go front and back. We say this front and back will cost you something. Of course, arrogance came in. ‘Forget, we have won the election, who are they?’ See where we are.
“I have no problem, and I have told them that where is the presidency, where are you zoning your presidential ticket now? Where are you zoning your presidential candidate now? Where will it go?
“Some smart ones who have an interest say no, it is not time. I said, you see? How many times can you play this game, and you think you are smart? You are going to the national convention. You want the South to come and produce the chairman, so we won’t have a presidential candidate.
“I said in Nigeria today, the South is occupying the presidency. Why not, as a party, come out openly to say our presidential candidate will also come from the South? You don’t want to do that.
“You want to play the same game you played in 2023. ’It will backfire, and when it backfires, you will say these people did this, these people did that. I told people, this smartness won’t help you. Come out now and let everybody know this is where we are heading.
“The point is that selfishness can kill a system. For example, if the president runs and wins in 2027, by 2031, APC will cede their presidential ticket to where? To the North. PDP will do what then? Then you come back again and say, no, since APC ceded it to the North, let’s keep it in the North. I mean, what kind of smartness is that?”
The former governor also predicted that it is just a matter of time for the PDP to implode, praising the sincerity of Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, who recently defected to the APC.
The chairman of Board of Trustees (BoT) of the PDP, Senator Adolphus Wabara, said he disagreed with the position of the enemies of the party who have predicted its final extinction, instead he declared that the party will rise again, reaffirming its unity and strength as it prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Wabara made the declaration during the formal inauguration of the newly nominated BoT members in Abuja recently during a ceremony which was held at the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), Hall.
Speaking at the event, the former Senate President said, “I am truly overwhelmed, and I am certain that my colleagues and friends here today share this sentiment. It is deeply moving to witness the enduring strength and quality of Nigerians within this great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This speaks volumes about our resilience and unity. Today, we are honoured to witness the inauguration of new members to the Board of Trustees, in line with Section 32 (1f) and (g) of our party’s Constitution, as amended in 2017.
‘’This occasion is not only a celebration of a new beginning but also a reaffirmation of our collective commitment to the values and principles that define the PDP.
“Your appointment is a call to service; a call to uphold the integrity, unity, and vision of the PDP as we strive for a more prosperous and democratic Nigeria. As custodians of the party’s conscience, the Board of Trustees plays a critical role in offering wise counsel, fostering stability and ensuring that our decisions align with the core objectives of the PDP.
“We are privileged to have such experienced individuals join the Board of Trustees. Your wisdom will undoubtedly guide us to success in 2027 and beyond.
“We do not hold meetings frequently, but we convene when necessary, by our Constitution and in response to challenges. Some may perceive the Board of Trustees as slow, but we are deliberate and diplomatic in our approach.
“The PDP has risen and the PDP will triumph in 2027. We remain committed to producing leaders who will serve with dedication and integrity, prioritising the interests of all Nigerians.
“As long as the Board of Trustees remains vibrant, the PDP remains alive. The PDP shall rise again, and I am confident in our collective resolve to achieve this.”
In contrast, a hitherto strong member of the PDP and former Governor of Benue State, Senator Gabriel Suswam, has countered Wabara, insisting that the PDP may die before the 2027 election if the party’s leadership fails to make concrete efforts to address the lingering crisis rocking the party.
On the one hand, the PDP is battling internal crisis over its national secretary position and on the other hand, the party is unsettled by the conflict between Wike and the suspended Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara.
Speaking on Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’ recently, Senator Suswam said the opposition party is currently in the Intensive Care Unit and may die if the right medicine is not administered.
He further stressed that many party members were disenchanted and wanted to see the PDP’s ultimate end.
Suswam added that the recent effort by PDP governors and ex-governors, led by former Senate President Bukola Saraki, to rescue the party would determine whether there would be light at the end of the tunnel.
The ex-governor said, “A lot of people are hanging on, waiting to see the ultimate end of this party.
Whether there is light at the end of the tunnel in the efforts made by Senator Saraki that will be seen in the next two weeks. For now, I would say that PDP, is it in the hospital? Yes. Is it in ICU to some extent? Yes, it is. Can it be rescued? Yes, if the proper medicine is applied.”
He further affirmed that likening the party’s situation to ICU suggests a 50–50 survival chance, adding that if the Saraki-led effort failed, the PDP might cease to exist.
In the case of the LP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has continued to keep the feuding factions of the Party in suspense, more than a month after the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the party’s leadership crisis.
The Supreme Court, on April 4, 2025, ruled on a leadership tussle between the embattled National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, and the Labour Party’s National Caretaker Committee (LP-NCC) led by Senator Nenadi Usman.
In its judgment, the apex court dismissed earlier judgments by a High Court and an Appeal Court that had declared Abure as the Chairman. The Supreme Court based its decision on the fact that the matter was an internal affair of the LP and, as such, was beyond the jurisdiction of the lower courts.
Since the release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment, the ruling has remained subject to varied interpretations by both factions.
While the LP-NCC, led by Usman, interpreted it as an end to Abure’s leadership, Abure insisted that the judgment validated his position.
However, the INEC, which had earlier informed the public that its legal team was studying the judgment to determine which faction to recognize, stated in a recent press release that it was yet to conclude its assessment.
In a statement titled “INEC Yet to Make a Decision On Disagreements in the Labour Party,” the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said, “As a law-abiding institution, the Commission is carefully studying the judgment of the Supreme Court on the Labour Party and will communicate its decision to the public in due course.”
Another controversy rocking the PDP is that its South east zonal members have threatened to leave the party in droves if the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), failed to recognise Mr. Sunday Ude-Okoye as its National Secretary.
This came on a day when 83 staff members at the PDP national headquarters declared their support for the party’s efforts to restore stability amid an ongoing leadership crisis surrounding the position of National Secretary.
The dispute between Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Mr. Udeh-Okoye has led to prolonged litigation, violent disruptions at the party secretariat and damaging narratives, raising fears of a potential split within the party.
On March 21, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled that disputes over party leadership fell within the internal affairs of political parties and dismissed the rulings of lower courts. Although Senator Anyanwu claimed the judgment was in his favour, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), reaffirmed Mr. Udeh Okoye as the substantive National Secretary.
To maintain unity, the PDP Governors’ Forum recommended that Deputy National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, to serve in acting capacity until a substantive candidate is appointed.
However, at the end of the South East Zonal Executive Committee (ZEC), meeting held at the Government House in Enugu State, the leaders, in a communique, threatened to leave the party if they were not allowed to present their candidate to serve out the remaining tenure of the National Secretary of the party zoned to the region.
The communique by the South East Zonal Chairman, Chief Ali Odefa, said, “The South East Zonal Executive Committee, ZEC, of the PDP met at the Government House, Enugu in Enugu State, to deliberate on the issue of the Office of the National Secretary of the party.
“Today’s (yesterday’s) meeting was, therefore, convened by this directive. Rising from the meeting, the ZEC resolved to issue the following communique:
“The South East ZEC exhaustively deliberated on the directive of the NWC and concluded that it offered a sure pathway to peace, unity, stability, and progress of our party. Consequently, the ZEC unanimously recommended Udeh-Okoye as the candidate to complete the term of office of the National Secretary. The South East has consistently served as a stronghold of the PDP from its inception.
“Therefore, we hope that this time around, the position of the South East PDP regarding the Office of the National Secretary is accorded the honour and immediacy it deserves.
“This would bring to a close the needless lingering dispute over the matter. However, if our position is not promptly implemented by the Party, the South East PDP, as a family, will be compelled to reconsider our relationship with the PDP going forward.”
Another indication that the LP and PDP may go into extinction before 2027, a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has revealed plans for a major political coalition that will involve some APC, PDP and LP members. The former Vice President said the move was to confront what he described as the ‘incompetent and inefficient’ government of President Tinubu.
Atiku made the declaration while addressing a delegation of stakeholders from the Kogi east Senatorial Zone, led by former Deputy Governor of Kogi State, Simon Achuba, in Abuja.
The meeting focused on addressing regional insecurity and fostering unity in the North.
Speaking at the event, Atiku expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s worsening security crisis, blaming the Tinubu administration for its lack of political will to address the issue.
He recounted his experience as Vice President during the early days of the Boko Haram insurgency, highlighting how decisive leadership under his administration had temporarily quelled the threat.
Atiku said, “How can leaders remain indifferent while their citizens are being killed? Such apathy is the height of irresponsibility for any political leader, anywhere.
“I hold our current leadership accountable for the widespread insecurity plaguing our nation. There is a lack of political will.
“Let me remind you of when Boko Haram first emerged in 2002, during our time in office. The president summoned me and asked, ‘Mr Vice President, what should we do about this?’ It began in Yobe. I advised him to call the service chiefs and set a clear deadline: if they couldn’t quell the insurgency, they should resign.
“The president summoned the service chiefs, I was present, and issued firm orders. Within weeks, the insurgents in Yobe were subdued, and the threat did not resurface until after we left office.”
Atiku also criticized the government’s under-policing strategy, suggesting that unemployed graduates be recruited into the police force to address the security manpower deficit.
“We are under-policed. There are not enough police officers in this country, while many educated individuals remain unemployed. Why not recruit them into the police force?” he asked.
He emphasized the need for a united front against the current administration, stating, “We are forming a coalition, all major political parties, including the APC, the PDP, and the Labour Party, are involved. This is the only way forward to confront such an incompetent and inefficient government. I assure you of my understanding and full support.”
