A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and close associate of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Oladimeji Fabiyi, has attributed the party’s current woes to leaders he described as lacking loyalty to its traditions and foundation.
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV News, Fabiyi argued that many of the PDP’s present power brokers were not part of the party’s formative struggles and therefore do not fully understand its guiding values.
“The PDP is in this mess today because many of those steering the ship don’t understand the party’s foundation,” he said.
Citing examples, Fabiyi queried: “Where was Wike in 2003? Damagun was with the ANPP, and Makinde wasn’t even in politics at the time.”
He insisted that the absence of such figures during the PDP’s early years makes them less committed to the principles that sustained the party through Nigeria’s return to democracy.
According to him, their actions have worsened the party’s decline on the national stage.
Fabiyi also criticised the PDP’s National Executive Council (NEC) over its recent decision to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South, alleging that the move was motivated by selfish interests rather than the broader good of the party.
“That zoning arrangement was not in the spirit of the PDP’s culture. It was engineered by allies of Wike who are pursuing personal ambitions, not what is best for the party,” he claimed.
The PDP, once Nigeria’s dominant ruling party, has in recent years faced internal divisions, electoral setbacks, and high-profile defections.
Fabiyi’s remarks highlight growing discontent among Atiku’s loyalists, who fear the party may lose further ground ahead of the 2027 general elections if unity is not restored.
