Has the People’s Democratic Party lost it? -By Omojowo Ajosanmi Gowon

Election right from inception has always been a game of ‘he who with the highest number of votes becomes the winner’. As the 2023 presidential approaches, we can’t but talk about it. The party which is likely to win the election. Their resilience, and how standardized they are. Looking at the people’s Democratic party, their stability, and shortcomings in the past few years as a case study.

The People’s Democratic Party, in my judgment, has been struggling ever since they lost the 2015 presidential election to the APC. The party hasn’t been great a party; From its party leaders allegedly auctioning political office slots for less competent aspirants to their ineptitude to function as a prosperous opposition party. An act that most Nigerians including me find appalling. The PDP undoubtedly has been struggling. This is not mean that the APC is getting it right though.

The resignation of Former Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, from the party in my viewpoint would affect the chances of the PDP winning the 2023 presidential election, though he gave no reason for his action, however, his leaving the party can’t be something else other than the party leadership incapability to address the concerns of his proponents in Anambra state amongst others. Peter’s next move is still not yet made public, however, it has been speculated that he is likely to join the New Nigeria People’s Party(NNPP), a party that is growing stronger in Kano state and retains its ranks in having serving and former federal and state lawmakers, former local government presiders, APC officials, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s aides, a former presidential aide, and other outstanding politicians in the state under Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso who at a time was a PDP member.

Some individuals might want to argue that Peter Obi’s leaving poses no threat to the PDP as the party is strong enough to accommodate any change including Peter’s acquiescence and many more. I, however, reckon that it poses more than a threat to the PDP. The PDP wouldn’t have lost out in 2015 if they possessed a lot of people who I called political gladiators.

For example, the administration method aided in pushing strong People’s Democratic Party politicians, like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of Adamawa state, Kano Governor Rabiu Kwanwaso, Kwara Central Senator former Governor Abubakar Bukola Saraki, etc., out of the party and into the All Progressive Congress which made the party to lost out of the 2015 presidential election;

It is also a fact that the aforementioned dominant men’s States delivered the APC with some of the best results and most remarkable defeats for PDP. A similar mistake, in my opinion, the PDP is about making with its incapability to reach a consensus on how to persuade its Big figures from leaving the party.

Although, Kwankwaso might not be able to win the Kano State Governorship election nor is his party strong enough to produce the president, however, with Peter Obi joining the party and the crowd of people following him might possess a great threat to the PDP. The PDP now has to battle with Rabiu Kwanwanso and Peter Obi should he eventually join the NNPP.

In conclusion, the PDP I believe will find it almost impossible to win the 2023 presidential election should the APC be able to level on their deficiencies. It will be hard for the PDP to win the election, should Bola Ahmed Tinubu and other prominent in the APC not leave the party[something I think would happen].

Omojowo Ajosanmi Gowon.