Ex-Lawmaker: Atiku Undermined PDP’s Chances In Presidential Race

As internal tensions within the PDP deepen, Yusuf warned that the party risks another defeat in the 2027 general elections if it does not resolve its ongoing challenges.

The party chieftain attributed the PDP’s 2023 defeat to the overconfidence displayed by its presidential candidate. He further pointed out that the current crisis within the party stems from a power tussle among members vying for influence ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking about the disruption of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting in Abuja on January 29, 2025, Yusuf, as reported by Naija News, said, “What you are witnessing ahead of 2027 is a struggle for structure, control, and candidacy. People forget that being a candidate doesn’t automatically make you president. We lost the last election because our flagbearer was too overconfident, assuming he was already the next president.”

Yusuf also criticized the PDP’s approach as an opposition party, arguing that the current crisis is fueled by overly ambitious members prioritizing their political ambitions over the party’s collective interests.

“The PDP is failing in its role as an opposition party because it is mired in a quagmire of overly ambitious individuals who think they must always contest elections. A political party should be dynamic and not centered around individual ambitions,” Yusuf stated.

He further described the violence that disrupted the BoT meeting as a symptom of the ongoing battle for dominance and authority within the party, fueled by preparations for the 2027 presidential primary. Representing the Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu constituency, Yusuf acknowledged the party’s inadequate mechanisms for resolving internal conflicts, suggesting that the BoT meeting’s violence highlighted a failure of leadership within the PDP.