When the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was founded in August 1998, few could have predicted its steep decline 25 years later. Established by political veterans like Dr. Alex Ekwueme, Chief Solomon Lar, and Chief Tony Anenih, the PDP was envisioned as Nigeria’s dominant political force. In the 1999 elections, the party achieved a sweeping victory, heralding what many believed would be an era of long-lasting political dominance. However, today the PDP stands as a mere shadow of its former self, crippled by internal divisions and plagued by a series of self-inflicted wounds.
The PDP’s formation occurred at a critical juncture in Nigeria’s political history. Following the military regime’s decision to lift its ban on political activities, the PDP emerged as the embodiment of Nigeria’s democratic aspirations. Its founding members, many of whom had participated in the Second Republic, brought a wealth of political experience to the table. With Olusegun Obasanjo as its presidential candidate and Atiku Abubakar as his running mate, the PDP swept the 1999 elections, taking control of both the executive and legislative arms of government.
For several years, the PDP flourished. In the 1999 House of Representatives elections, the party held 57.1% of the seats, followed by 54.49% in 2003. The Senate told a similar story, with the PDP commanding 56.4% of seats in 1999 and 53.69% in 2003. These numbers cemented the party’s reputation as the dominant political force in Nigeria, with some party leaders optimistically predicting 60 years of uninterrupted rule. However, under the surface, fractures were beginning to emerge.
The first sign of trouble appeared when the party’s founding fathers began stepping away from active politics. This vacuum was quickly filled by a younger generation of politicians who lacked the wisdom and experience needed to maintain the party’s unity and focus. As leadership shifted, the party began to lose its way, as personal ambition and greed overpowered its foundational principles.
A new class of power brokers, many of them governors and legislative leaders, began to manipulate the party’s internal machinery to suit their personal agendas. These actors were more interested in consolidating their own power than in fostering a strong and cohesive political organization. As a result, factionalism and internal conflicts began to erode the party’s stability.
By 2015, the PDP was unraveling. Key governors like Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers defected to the newly formed All Progressives Congress (APC), signaling the PDP’s imminent collapse. These defections were more than just symbolic; they inflicted a devastating blow to the PDP’s prospects in the 2015 general elections. The party not only lost the presidency but also its majority in the National Assembly, marking the most significant setback in its history.
The defections laid bare the party’s fragility. Many high-profile PDP members had grown frustrated with the party’s direction, accusing it of being run by opportunists more interested in personal gain than in building a sustainable future for the party. As more prominent figures abandoned ship, the PDP fell into the hands of less capable leaders, weakening its ability to present a united front against the APC.
Following the 2015 defeat, the PDP descended into chaos. Internal divisions that had been simmering for years came to the fore, as party members accused one another of undermining the party’s electoral prospects. Northern leaders like Babangida Aliyu and Sule Lamido were alleged to have formed clandestine alliances with the APC, while figures like Ali Modu Sheriff, a former Borno State governor, deepened the party’s internal crisis when he briefly assumed the role of national chairman.
A leadership crisis erupted between Sheriff and former Kaduna State governor Ahmed Makarfi, who was backed by many of the PDP’s founding members. The two factions fought a bitter battle for control of the party, with the dispute only being resolved by a 2017 Supreme Court ruling in Makarfi’s favor. However, by then, the damage had been done, and the party’s credibility was severely tarnished.
Wike, a central figure in the party’s internal politics, became increasingly influential by 2022, placing his allies in key positions across the party’s national and regional structures. Many believed Wike was positioning himself for a presidential bid, but his ambitions were dashed when Atiku Abubakar, a veteran politician, secured the PDP’s presidential nomination in 2022.
Wike’s failure to clinch the presidential ticket marked a turning point in the PDP’s internal dynamics. Having invested significant resources in building his influence, Wike felt betrayed by the outcome. His subsequent public rift with the party’s leadership further exacerbated the PDP’s internal divisions, as factions continued to undermine one another.
The 2023 elections laid bare the party’s weakened state. With Wike accepting a ministerial role in President Bola Tinubu’s APC government while still claiming membership in the PDP, the party’s internal conflicts were pushed to the forefront. Many observers wondered why the party leadership hesitated to expel Wike, especially as his actions openly aligned with APC interests.
The PDP’s inability to present a united front during the 2023 elections, coupled with other prominent figures dissenting, drastically reduced its chances of reclaiming the presidency. While Atiku Abubakar remained a strong candidate, the internal divisions within the party severely hampered its ability to mount a cohesive challenge to the ruling APC.
Some argue that if Wike had been selected as Atiku’s running mate instead of Ifeanyi Okowa, the PDP Wike would’ve remained a builder and not a destroyer of the party as we see today. And perhaps it might have been in a stronger position today.
Atiku’s decision to overlook Wike raised questions about his leadership qualities and reinforced the notion that a “winner-takes-all” approach in politics can often backfire.
As the PDP reflects on its 2023 defeat, the party finds itself at a crossroads. Can it rebuild and reclaim its position as Nigeria’s primary opposition party, or will it continue to fracture under the weight of its internal conflicts? The road to recovery will be challenging, requiring strong leadership and a renewed commitment to unity.
For now, the PDP’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of internal discord and unchecked ambition. As Nigeria’s political landscape continues to shift, the PDP must confront its past mistakes and forge a new path forward if it hopes to remain relevant. Only time will tell whether the party can rise from the ashes or be relegated to the margins of Nigerian politics.
Deacon Darlington Okpebholo Ray
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
Of Truth Live News Int’l and founding member of the PDP writes from London, United Kingdom.