Political analyst Majeed Dahiru did not hold back when he spoke about what he believes is truly killing the Peoples Democratic Party. Sitting down for a political programme, he shared his deep concerns, not just as an observer, but as someone who clearly understands how politics works in Nigeria. His words came with a strong warning — that the biggest threat to the PDP is not about people leaving the party, but someone still inside it. In his words, “What PDP should worry most about is Wike still remaining in that party.”
He took everyone back to the 2023 presidential election, where, according to him, the PDP made a grave mistake. “The PDP is at right now on the throws of death because it committed a mortal sin in 2023 and that sin was not zoning its presidential candidacy to the south,” he said firmly. This mistake, he explained, made the party lose the trust of many people, especially in the South and Middle Belt. He said it was different with the APC, because they understood how power needed to shift to the South.
Dahiru said, “But the PDP said it wanted to win an election. We thought they’d take advantage of the electoral fortune of the north which happens to be the largest voting demography in Nigeria.” He wasn’t speaking from a place of bitterness, but from disappointment. The party, in his view, chased after numbers and forgot the values and principles that brought people to them in the first place. They ignored fairness, justice, and balance, and that, according to him, has brought them to where they are now.
He added that the party had been weakened from within and that more governors would still leave. But he made it clear that defections were not the biggest issue. “The big problem for the PDP is not even the defecting governors. More governors will defect. The APC will overrun the southern half of Nigeria,” he warned. His prediction painted a picture of a party that could be easily wiped out in many southern states if it continues on its current path.
However, it was the issue of Nyesom Wike still staying in the PDP that he focused on most. He didn’t say it out of personal dislike, but from a political point of view. According to Dahiru, Wike’s continued presence could throw the party into a deep legal fight. “You know what that will result into? There might be a prolonged legal conundrum… that is the real death for the PDP,” he added. He made it sound like the party would be stuck fighting itself instead of preparing for future elections.
To Dahiru, the danger is not just in numbers but in internal peace. As long as those deep cracks remain, especially with Wike still inside, the PDP might keep struggling to find its feet. His words may have sounded harsh, but they also served as a wake-up call to those still holding on to hope in the party.
