Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Adolphus Wabara, has predicted a brighter future for the party.
The former Senate President who spoke ahead of the party’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting scheduled for Abuja on Thursday, said the PDP would regain power at the centre in 2027.
Senator Wabara further declared that “those expecting PDP to explode will be disappointed.”
According to him, the current challenges facing the party are not insurmountable, boasting that “PDP is blessed with many mature minds capable of resolving any crisis.”
The PDP BoT Chairman noted that challenges were “a common feature in every human organisation,” arguing that it was not peculiar to the PDP.
Senator Wabara who said that the PDP had come a long way, said that bigger crisis that befell the party in the past, had been resolved internally.
He expressed confidence that whatever “internal issues” rocking the party, would be amicably resolved at the Thursday NEC meeting.
Senator Wabara said that unlike other political parties, “PDP is blessed with an array of seasoned politicians and democrats whose main interest is “Nigeria First.”
According to him, the various grievances among members of the party “will be resolved amicably,” adding that ” PDP is one big family.”
Wabara further said: “Whatever people think is happening in PDP today is not strange nor peculiar to the PDP. Political parties all over the world especially the big parties will always have challenges from time to time.
“But the interesting thing is that whatever issues we have today in our party will only make us stronger and more united.
“I’m confident that whatever grievances any member has, will be thrashed at the NEC meeting on Thursday. Our party elders will use the elders’ lenses to look at them and have them resolved.
“PDP has come a long way and has weathered bigger storms in the past. All those expecting PDP to explode will surely be disappointed. We will come out stronger and ultimately rebound as the ruling national party come 2027.”
The former Senate President however, appealed to members of the party who felt aggrieved for whatever reasons to sheath their swords and consider the interest of the party before their individual benefits.
PDP appears bedeviled with internal crisis since after the 2023 presidential primaries that pitched some party bigwigs against the other.
Just last week, 60 national lawmakers of the PDP led by Hon. Ugochinyere Ikenga, called for the resignation of the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, accusing him of having unholy fraternity with the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
They alleged that the Acting National Chairman is hobnobbing with the APC with an intent to hand over PDP to the APC.
PDP presidential flag bearer in 2023, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; and former Rivers Governor and Minister for the Federal Capital Territory, Mr Nyesom Wike, have been fighting over the control of PDP.
The party’s ability to manage the cold war between the two gladiators and their foot soldiers will decide the fate of the party at the make or mar NEC meeting.
