PDP convention’s success key to Atiku’s return – Ex-scribe

Former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ibrahim Tsauri, has said the success or otherwise of the party’s elective conven...

Former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ibrahim Tsauri, has said the success or otherwise of the party’s elective convention will decide the fate of the PDP ahead of the 2027 general election.

Tsauri, who served as a key member of the Uche Secondus-led National Working Committee, also stated that PDP leaders who recently dumped the party for the African Democratic Congress-led coalition, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, might return to the party should it succeed in electing credible leaders at the convention to pilot its affairs.

In an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Tsauri said, “If our meeting slated for July 23, 2025 is successful and the convention holds, the PDP will remain a formidable party in Nigeria. The convention will determine if the party dies or not.

“I can tell you that if the PDP holds a successful convention by electing capable leaders, Atiku and many others who left will return to the party.

“It would interest Nigerians to know that though Atiku resigned from the PDP, he has not joined any other political party, thus, leaving technically open the door for possible return to the party.”

In a veiled reference to comments attributed to the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, who reportedly said that Atiku’s exit would not affect the fortune of the PDP, Tsauri shared a different perspective.

“Those who think Atiku’s resignation from the PDP would enable the party to rebuild itself are not being realistic. Yes, I agree that in democratic politics, everyone is entitled to their opinions.

“For a long time, the former Vice President was the face of the PDP. He did his best for the party but for some reasons, he left but still returned to the party. Losing someone like Atiku is a huge setback and it is sad too.”

“My advice is that the party should work hard and deliver a successful convention. Like I said, those who left are likely to return if we have a good convenient.

“Some of our leaders only stepped aside to see the calibre of people we would elect at the convention to lead the party to the 2027 election.”

In a separate interview with Sunday PUNCH, a member of the House of Representatives, Joshua Gana, said PDP members remain resolute in pushing the ideals of the party regardless of its recent setbacks.

Gana, a PDP chieftain, representing Lavun/Mokwa/Edati Federal Constituency, Niger State said, “We are genuine PDP members and we will never abandon our party that gave us the opportunity of holding elected offices in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We will stay planted and grow till harvest time comes by God’s grace and mercies.”

In a related development, a member of the National Executive Committee of the party, Timothy Osadolor has stated that though the PDP will feel the impact of Atiku’s exit; he maintained that the party’s stock would not wane as a result.

Speaking exclusively with our correspondent, Osadolor who doubles as the PDP Deputy National Youth Leader noted that the party is too large in its spread to have its fortune affected owing to the resignation of a few of its leaders.

“The foundation of PDP is as strong as the foundation of Nigeria. What this means is that the exit of a person or group of persons from the party cannot affect its fortune.

“The PDP is not anchored on names, its strength is the pillars it erected across the 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria. It would amount to arrogating too much power to individuals to say that their exit will collapse the PDP,” he said.

Osadolor emphasised the place of the former Vice President in the power equation of the once dominant party.

“What we cannot deny is that the PDP will miss Atiku. He is an asset to any political party he chooses to join. As formidable as he is, his resignation from the PDP is not enough to destroy the party.

“I am also sure that Atiku will not want the PDP to die. He also does not want to be seen as the one that buried the PDP. He left before and he returned. Each time he left and returned, he met the PDP in a very active, not dormant state.

“We witnessed the exit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yet the PDP survived and is still surviving till date,” he added.

Meanwhile, another NEC member, Diran Odeyemi has described the resignation of Atiku from the PDP as a blessing, praying that he never returns to the party again.

The former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party said, “It did not come to me as a surprise that Atiku resigned. It is his style. Whenever he fails in any contest, it is habit to go and live in Dubai and come back for another opportunity.

“He has done more damage than good to PDP as a desperate politician that lacks tactics and strategy.”

Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).