Public Affairs Analyst and Convener of Reset Lagos PDP, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse has explained that the crisis which divided the Peoples Democratic Party during the 2023 elections was tied to a broken gentleman agreement within the party’s leadership.
Speaking in an interview on TVC News, Dr. Pearse stated that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy was not in dispute, as it was the result of a democratic process. He noted that once Atiku purchased the presidential nomination form, the PDP had effectively given him the right to contest, just like any other aspirant.
“It was democratically agreed that he will run because they sold the form to him. They allowed everybody to run with a gentleman agreement,” Pearse said.
According to him, the understanding was that if Atiku eventually won the presidential ticket, then the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, would step down to allow a southerner take over, in order to balance power within the PDP. However, Pearse emphasized that this promise was not kept, leading to resentment among key party leaders, including the G5 governors led by Nyesom Wike.
He argued that the refusal to honor this internal arrangement was what deepened the rift in the PDP and made reconciliation difficult ahead of the elections. The imbalance, he said, created the perception of northern dominance and weakened the party’s unity when it needed it most.
Dr. Pearse warned that for the PDP to regain national relevance, it must respect zoning principles and honor agreements that promote inclusivity. He maintained that ignoring such understandings only fuels mistrust and risks further defections from the party.
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