The crisis in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Tuesday as leaders of the main opposition party clashed in Abuja over who is responsible for the lingering crisis.
The party has been embroiled in turmoil since the conduct of the presidential primary election, which contributed to its defeat by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last general election.
At a conference tagged “Fix PDP To Fix Nigeria” in Abuja, Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, a member of the House of Representatives, pointed accusing fingers at Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Acting National Chairman, Amb. Umar Damagum, as the major obstacles facing the party.
Ugochinyere emphasized that resolving internal issues, particularly leadership struggles, was crucial to moving forward. “Before you fix PDP, you have to fix everything that is internal… We can’t wave it aside. As long as we don’t resolve these issues, the people out there are just laughing at us,” he said.
“Like basic constitutional responsibility, Article 45 and 47, a tradition that we have maintained over the years. We find it difficult to speak the truth. What is Damagum still doing? And I ask you here now, as the national chairman of the party. So let’s leave Wike out of it. Wike has taken a job to run an errand for APC. So we already know where he belongs, he stated.
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However, Deputy National Publicity Secretary Ibrahim Abdullahi disagreed, shifting the blame to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Abdullahi argued that the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Damagum is not under Wike’s control, as alleged, but rather Atiku should be held accountable.
“We inherited the problems we are facing today… Atiku Abubakar succeeded in foisting the worst government on us. Atiku left the party with all the effort many other people have done, and then he surfaced again and got the ticket,” Abdullahi stated.
The PDP crisis has been ongoing, with various factions pointing fingers at each other. Previously, the House of Representatives Minority Caucus distanced itself from Ugochinyere’s coalition, stating that it does not represent the views of the caucus.
As the internal conflict persists, concerns arise about the party’s ability to present a united front against the ruling APC. The PDP’s struggles raise questions about its capacity to effectively oppose the ruling party and address Nigeria’s challenges.
The party’s leadership crisis has sparked intense debate, with many calling for urgent reconciliation efforts to salvage the opposition party’s chances in future elections.
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