The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its position as the leading opposition force and a bulwark of democratic values, following a successful 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting that underscored party unity and strategic readiness ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said the peaceful and well-attended NEC meeting held on May 27 demonstrated the party’s “resilience, orderliness, and institutional strength,” even in the face of internal skepticism and political distractions.

“There were naysayers who doubted the NEC would hold,” Ologunagba noted. “But it did — successfully. That alone is a clear sign of a party that is alive, well-structured, and driven by democratic norms.”

The PDP spokesperson revealed that two strategic committees were established during the NEC session. The Zoning Committee, chaired by Bayelsa State Governor Duoye Diri, and the National Convention Committee, chaired by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa, are already engaging with various organs of the party in a broad consultative process that includes the Board of Trustees (BoT), the PDP Governors’ Forum, National Assembly Caucuses, and state chairpersons.

“This is democracy in action,” he said. “Every region, every interest, every stakeholder is being carried along in this process. That is what makes the PDP unique — nobody owns this party.”
Rejecting One-Party State Narrative
Ologunagba took a direct swipe at the All Progressives Congress (APC), criticizing what he described as a subtle push by President Bola Tinubu toward a one-party state, following public comments attributed to the President in that direction.

“That’s not democracy,” he declared. “Democracy thrives on diverse views and the contestation of ideas. The PDP, with all its internal debates and deliberations, has shown what democratic engagement truly means.”

As the 2027 elections approach, Ologunagba dismissed the recent wave of political defections as mere distractions. According to him, the real issue is not about who crosses over to which party but about holding the APC government accountable for what he called “widespread failure and human suffering.”

“2027 will not be about defection. It will be a referendum on the APC’s failure — the insecurity, the economic hardship, the lack of vision, and the detachment from the everyday suffering of Nigerians,” he said.

He cited alarming statistics of insecurity and poverty, stating that over 600 Nigerians have been killed in violent attacks in the past two years, while more than 100 million citizens now live on less than $2 a day, by global standards.

Ologunagba also criticized the Tinubu administration’s approach to governance, accusing it of relying on propaganda instead of sound policy-making. He particularly condemned the recent $24.5 billion loan request to cushion the effects of subsidy removal — a move he called contradictory and deceptive.

“They told Nigerians subsidy removal would free up resources, but two years later, they’re borrowing to ‘cushion’ the same effects,” he said. “Where is the money they promised? Where is the accountability?”

He urged the National Assembly to rigorously scrutinize the loan request instead of rubber-stamping presidential decisions. “Nigerians deserve to know how their future is being mortgaged,” he stressed.

Despite his criticism of the ruling party, Ologunagba was careful to emphasize that the PDP’s position is not based on blind opposition. “It is in our interest for Nigeria to succeed. But success cannot come without listening to alternative ideas and building consensus across political lines.”

The PDP, he assured, is working tirelessly behind the scenes to unite its ranks, prepare for its national convention, and offer Nigerians a real alternative — one rooted in democratic values, economic recovery, and human dignity.

As the countdown to 2027 begins, the PDP is staking its claim not just as an opposition party, but as the credible path to a more secure, prosperous, and democratic Nigeria, he noted.