2027 General Elections: Which Way For PDP Stranded Aspirants?

After months of wrangling and tangling, legal tussles and thuggish physical scuffles, the two factions feuding for the soul of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP may have finally come to an agreement over a point. That point is the fact that the party may not be able to field any candidate, at any level, in the 2027 general elections, hence the need to find an alternative platform for the PDP stranded aspirants.

It has been reported that blocs loyal to both Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and Seyi Makinde, Oyo State Governor have taken the initiatives to shop for alternative political parties the PDP stranded aspirants, in view of the uncertainty over candidates nominations as the 2027 general elections approaches.

The word on the street is that both blocs are weighing the All Progressive Congress and the African Democratic Congress, ADC as possible platforms for aspirants. Their agreement about the need to move on notwithstanding, it seems that the different factions are seeking refuge on different platforms. The ADC is the preferred political platform for the Seyi Makinde faction, a top official of the ADC already confirmed that some leaders of the PDP and the ADC met over a proposed alliance. The said PDP leaders who were reported to be willing to work with ADC are confirmed to be from the Seyi Makinde, Turaki-led faction. On the other hand, it is no secret that Wike is partial to the APC, although there has been no report of a corresponding alliance by his faction with the APC, there had been cases of bloc movements of politicians who may be taken to belong to Wike’s faction from the PDP into the APC, like the case of the 27 State House of Assembly members led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, two Senators and six House of Representative members who defected from the PDP to the APC in Rivers State.

The irony of this developing scenario is in the fact that Seyi Makinde seems to be heading back into an alliance with Atiku Abubakar, a northerner, whose presidential ambition after eight years of Mohammad Buhari, another northerner, Seyi Makinde along with the G5 opposed, a move that is widely acknowledged to be the genesis of the problems in PDP today. Seyi Makinde might even jettison his own presidential ambition and openly work for Atiku Abubakar’s, moreso in view of the fact that in a recent media chat, he expressed regret that he worked for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He may also decide to keep faith with his presidential ambition and contest with Atiku for the ADC presidential ticket. He holds the racket and he holds the ball, he can choose to play any which way he chooses.

On the other hand, Wike’s running battles with his erstwhile acolyte, Governor Siminalayi Fubara and the later’s eclipse of him in the APC leadership structure in Rivers State means Wike may not feel too comfortable with his political associates finding a new home, in Rivers State, under the leadership of Fubara, his perceived Judas!

The situation for both Wike and Makinde is packed full of contrasts. As contrary as a handful of hangers! Although, time is a great healer and given time, most situations generally resolve themselves, time is exactly what the PDP stranded aspirants – from both Wike and Makinde’s factions – do not have! They must make their moves and make it quickly before the alternative political platforms conduct their congresses and hold their primaries. Or else, it would be too late for them and for these PDP  stranded aspirants, there would be no ‘coming in from the cold’.