Prominent People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Dele Momodu has pointed to unresolved internal issues and alleged interference by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the root causes of the PDP’s ongoing crisis.
Speaking in an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, Momodu, who vied for the PDP presidential ticket ahead of the 2023 elections, highlighted the fallout from the 2022 primaries as a major factor in the party’s troubles.
“The crisis started from when the then-Governor Wike lost to Atiku Abubakar in the primary and the bid for the running mate,” Momodu explained.
Momodu alleged that former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, who lost the presidential primary to Atiku and was overlooked for the vice-presidential slot, has contributed to the PDP’s struggles. He claimed Wike is supporting APC interests behind the scenes while still officially remaining in the PDP.
“And when I say moved, I’m not talking about physically, but maybe spiritually; he is within the APC today,” Momodu stated. “However, he is yet to find the courage to physically join APC because he knows he would not be able to wield the kind of power he wielded in PDP. Right now, where his friends are holding sway, he is empowering them and encouraging them to keep PDP under the water.”
Momodu accused the ruling APC of orchestrating crises within opposition parties, including the PDP, Labour Party, and NNPP, as part of a strategy to consolidate power and push Nigeria toward becoming a one-party state.
“Nigeria is obviously moving in the direction of a one-party state. The ruling party, APC, is so scared of opposition that right now crises are being orchestrated from party to party, especially the leading opposition parties like PDP, Labour Party, and NNPP. It’s obvious what is going on,” Momodu said.
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He dismissed claims that the PDP’s challenges stem from internal incompetence or a lack of unity, arguing instead that external interference plays a significant role.
“If you have a government that is wielding all its state power against the opposition, what will you do? Wike would not be that powerful if he did not have the backing of the ruling government,” Momodu alleged. “Even Tinubu knows that. The tragedy of it for me is that I have never envisaged a day when Nigeria will come under a civilian administration that will make it very difficult for opposition to thrive.”
When asked about the PDP’s prospects in the 2027 general elections, Momodu expressed doubts about the party’s readiness and criticized the National Working Committee (NWC) for its lack of direction.
“I’m not worried about members that are adopted. That would be the decision of the members of the party, if the party survives till then. But from what I’m seeing right now, I don’t think they are ready, especially our NWC. They are not ready. I won’t be surprised if they announce that they are not interested in contesting the presidency in 2027,” he said.