Some PDP Governors Fueling Internal Crisis as Excuse to Defect – Tajudeen Yusuf

Tajudeen Yusuf, a former member of the House of Representatives, has accused some governors in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of deliberately exacerbating internal crises to justify their defection from the party. Speaking on *Sunrise Daily*, a Channels Television programme, on Thursday, Yusuf, a prominent PDP figure, outlined how the party’s troubles intensified following its failure to adhere to the principle of zoning the presidential ticket in the lead-up to the 2023 election.

He recalled that in 2014, there were significant agitations within the party, particularly after the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. His absence and the subsequent assumption of office by Goodluck Jonathan led to claims that Jonathan’s tenure was unfairly extending beyond the north’s turn, sparking a mass walkout of five governors, led by Atiku Abubakar, from the PDP convention at Eagle Square. Yusuf noted that this moment marked the beginning of the party’s ongoing crisis.

While many of those who left the party returned by 2019, the PDP decided to zone the presidential ticket to the north to avoid further disintegration, culminating in Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy. However, Yusuf argued that by 2023, it was only natural for the ticket to return to the south. He criticized powerful figures within the party for blocking this move, despite warnings that failing to zone the ticket would lead to regrets.

Yusuf also touched on the persistent influence of ethnicity and religion in Nigerian politics, which he believes continue to shape decisions and will likely do so for the foreseeable future. He reflected on the shift in 2022, when presidential aspirants from both the north and the south emerged, signaling growing divisions within the party.

As the 2023 elections passed, Yusuf noted that various PDP factions, particularly the governors, began regrouping and holding regular meetings, though he claimed they were not financially supporting the party. He also highlighted how some aspirants manipulate the delegate system in primary elections, taking advantage of regional bloc support to secure the party’s nomination.

In his assessment, the PDP is currently facing one of its most challenging periods in opposition. Yusuf criticized the ongoing controversy surrounding the position of the party’s national secretary, arguing that the matter could have been resolved legally or at the next convention. He pointed out that after a Supreme Court ruling, some governors continued to defy the decision, fueling the crisis further.

Yusuf’s comments came in the wake of Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori’s defection from the PDP to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday. According to Charles Aniagwu, Delta State Commissioner for Information, the decision to leave the PDP was made to enable better collaboration with other political leaders in the state, with the aim of building a stronger future for the people of Delta.