PDP In Tatters; Big Wigs Leave In Droves; After Obi, Shehu Shagari Leaves, APGA Woos Abaribe; Ekweremadu On Way Out

By Adesina Soyooye

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is in trouble. It is having a run. The crisis within the Party has been brewing for months. It has now hit the roof in the past few days.

A number of the big wigs are leaving the party. And there seems to be no stopping them.

On Wednesday May 25, the Party was shaken to its foundation when Peter Obi, one of its Presidential candidates, and a former two-time Governor of Anambra State, made public his resignation from the Party.

Before Obi’s resignation became public through his resignation letter dated May 24, to the National Chairman of the Party, Dr Iyorchia Ayu, Obi had quit the Party at the Ward level in a letter dated May 20, to his Ward Chairman in Agulu 2, Anambra State.

While the Party was trying to grapple with Obi’s exit, and the millions of votes it would cost it, especially, those of the Youths who adore Obi, Muktari Shehu Shagari, a former Minister, and son of former President Shehu Shagari dumped the Party too.

In a Press Statement announcing his resignation on May 25, Shagari, put the blame on the leadership of the Party. He said the party has sold its soul to money. It has sold its soul to the highest bidders only. “The Party has become a Party of the highest bidder”, he said.

He also had some words for his State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, a Presidential aspirant. “It is most disheartening that the Governor of my State in particular has proven to be a  man who has no regards to integrity, honor and excellence.”

Shehu Shagari’s statement reads:

“I wish to bring to your notice that I, Mukhtari Shehu Shagari has from today ceased to be a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.

“This hard decision is as a result of the series of betrayals that I have suffered in the hands of a Party that deceitfully claims to be a bastion of democracy but has instead become a party of the highest bidder without considering my labor, commitment, sacrifice, investments and service to the Party since 1998.

“Apart from my numerous sacrifices and service to the Party, the so-called Peoples Democratic Party has no reward system regardless of one’s loyalty and faithfulness. It is my conviction that the ideals of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party have been completely eroded and is not worthy to be called a Democratic Party.

“It is most disheartening that the Governor of my State in particular has proven to be a man who does not keep to his words, a man who has no regards to integrity, honor and excellence. It is also sad and unfortunate that the PDP in Sokoto is dead and buried during his tenure as the Governor of Sokoto State because of his draconian, slippery, cunning, crafty and insincere style of leadership.

“The PDP has unfortunately become a “cash and carry” Party for the highest bidder so as to serve the interest of a minority few who have hijacked the body and soul of the Party.

“While I enjoin my supporters to remain calm, I shall In a few days time make my next steps known.”

In Abia State, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Minority Leader of the PDP, could also be on his way out of the  Party. Abaribe is being wooed by the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA.

On Thursday, the leadership of APGA in the State, paid him a visit in his home to woo him to immediately join APGA.

Earlier, Abaribe, a former Deputy Governor of the State, had withdrawn from the Governoship race. He has also been pushed out of  the Senate in 2023. The State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, who comes from the same zone with him has picked up the PDP  ticket for the Zone.

Elsewhere, in Enugu State, the words in the streets are that Senator Ike Ekweremadu, two-time former Deputy Senate President, who suddenly withdrew from the Governorship race, is also on his way out of the Party.

The PDP ticket went to Peter Mba, a member of the Senator Chimaroke Nnamani Political Dynasty in Enugu, which member Ekweremadu, also, was.

For the PDP, the situation couldn’t have been worse – heading to a General election.