As the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) escalates, Tajudeen Yusuf, a party member and former House of Representatives member, has pointed to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as a key reason for the party’s defeat in the 2023 presidential election.
In remarks following the violence that disrupted the party’s Board of Trustees meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, January 29, 2025, Yusuf warned that the PDP may risk repeating its past errors unless it takes action.
He believes the party lost the last election due to the overconfidence of its presidential candidate.
Yusuf argued that the ongoing turmoil within the PDP stems from internal power struggles, with members positioning themselves for the upcoming 2027 general elections.
“Looking ahead to 2027, it is evident that people are vying for control and the party’s candidacy. However, they forget that just becoming a candidate doesn’t guarantee presidency. We lost the last election primarily because our candidate was too self-assured,” said Yusuf.
The former legislator added that the PDP is not effectively acting as an opposition party, as it is mired in the ambitions of some members who feel compelled to seek election.
“The PDP is not fulfilling its role as an opposition because it is caught up in the ambitions of overly ambitious individuals who believe they must always run for office. A political party should be more than just a platform for your candidacy,” he stated.
Yusuf connected the violence at the BOT meeting to the power struggles leading up to the next presidential primary. He also acknowledged that the PDP’s mechanisms for resolving internal conflicts have failed, asserting that the violence witnessed at the meeting reflects a failure in the party’s leadership.
