PDP marks 28th anniversary, vows political resurgence

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Nigeria’s opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has marked its anniversary, declaring that it remains a truly national and legacy political party while expressing confidence that it will overcome its current challenges and regain political prominence.

In a statement issued on Monday, the party’s National Chairman of the Interim National Working Committee, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, described the PDP as a party with a deep-rooted history in Nigeria’s democratic journey.

The party said it remains determined to rebuild and reclaim its position as one of Nigeria’s leading political forces following its defeat by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 presidential election.

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“Like the phoenix, our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party, will certainly triumph over this temporary challenge and retake its glorious place as primus inter pares,” the statement said.

“The rebirth process is on. The result is en route.”

The statement was signed by Turaki in his capacity as the National Chairman of the PDP Interim National Working Committee.

The PDP ruled Nigeria for 16 consecutive years, from 1999 to 2015, producing three presidents under the country’s Fourth Republic.

The party first came to power in 1999 with former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who governed for eight years. He was succeeded by Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, whose administration was cut short following his death in 2010.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan subsequently completed Yar’Adua’s tenure before winning the 2011 presidential election.

However, the PDP lost power in 2015 when the opposition APC defeated Jonathan, with its presidential candidate, the late Muhammadu Buhari, emerging as Nigeria’s president.

The PDP’s decline was widely linked to internal divisions, prolonged factional disputes, allegations of corruption and growing public dissatisfaction, while the emergence of the APC united several opposition political forces against the then-ruling party.

Despite years of political challenges and internal crises since leaving office, the PDP said it remains confident that its ongoing rebuilding process will restore the party to national political relevance.

The party’s leadership expressed optimism that its reorganisation efforts would strengthen its structures across the country as Nigeria’s political parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 general elections.