A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Jigawa State governor, Malam Sule Lamido, has warned that the party could be completely sidelined in the 2027 general elections if its leaders fail to urgently resolve the ongoing crisis and unite.
In a wide-ranging interview with Daily Trust, Lamido expressed deep concern over the internal divisions in the PDP, a party he helped establish in 1998 to restore democracy after years of military rule.
He lamented that many of the original founders who risked everything during the Abacha era are no longer active, while newer players with little knowledge of the party's history are now claiming ownership and deepening the rifts.
Lamido stressed that the PDP belongs to all Nigerians, not to any individual or faction. He recalled how the party was built through a broad consensus involving leaders like Adamu Chiroma, Alex Ekwueme, Solomon Lar, Bola Ige, Iyorchia Ayu, Abubakar Rimi, and Professor Jerry Gana, drawing from various political ideologies to create a truly national platform.
He cautioned against reducing the crisis to “Wike faction” versus others, arguing that such labelling disrespects the party's heritage and the sacrifices made to return Nigeria to civilian rule in 1999.
Continuing infighting, he said, only benefits the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu.
On the Way ForwardLamido pointed out that the tenure of the previous National Working Committee (NWC) led by Amb. Iliya Damagum expired on December 9, 2025, creating a legal vacuum that could lead to the party being deregistered by INEC if no valid structure is in place.
He noted that the Ibadan convention was annulled by the court, and many of those who organised it including governors like Ahmadu Fintiri, Darius Ishaku (now in APC), and others have since abandoned the PDP or defected.
Only Governors Bala Mohammed (Bauchi) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) remain from that group.According to Lamido, the caretaker committee now led by Abdulrahman Muhammad (backed by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike) is currently the legitimate leadership structure.
He urged all factions to embrace reconciliation, set aside egos, and convene a fresh national convention quickly to elect a new National Executive Committee (NEC) that represents the entire party.
He called on the remaining key figures, particularly Governors Bala Mohammed, Seyi Makinde, and Nyesom Wike to lead by example, forgive past insults, and present a united front.
“If these three come together as old friends for the sake of PDP and Nigeria, the rest of us will follow,” he said.
Lamido also addressed zoning, saying the PDP’s original zoning formula was designed to calm ethnic and regional tensions.
He suggested maintaining zoning to the South for the 2027 presidential ticket if it helps unify the party, but emphasised that any southern PDP member (including Makinde or Wike) should be free to contest the ticket in a fair primary.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com