The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), once a dominant force in Nigeria’s political arena, now finds itself on the edge of a self-created disaster. Chief Niyi Aborisade, a human rights lawyer based in the United Kingdom, has delivered one of the most severe warnings to date. In a passionate and urgent appeal, Aborisade called upon Governor Seyi Makinde, former Rivers governor Nyesom Wike, and other key figures within the PDP to urgently reconsider their actions before the party completely disintegrates under the burden of its internal conflicts.
From London, Aborisade issued a statement that serves as both a forewarning and a clarion call. His message was straightforward yet powerful: “De-escalate. Reconcile. Or witness the PDP’s irreversible collapse.”
To observers of the ongoing chaos, his concerns are far from unfounded. The opposition party is currently engulfed in what can only be characterized as a political inferno one ignited by internal power struggles, exacerbated by expulsions, and now raging so fiercely that even veteran politicians seem at a loss.
The National Convention held on November 15–16 became the latest front in this ongoing conflict. Wike and his supporters faced expulsion, and within a day, a retaliatory expulsion emerged from the faction led by Umar Damagun, targeting Makinde and 16 other prominent PDP members. Among those affected by this political purge were notable figures such as Chief Bode George, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, and even the newly elected national chairman.
According to Aborisade, what is unfolding is not merely a crisis it is “advanced confusion.” A confusion so profound that it now mirrors a civil war.
He characterized the situation as “a raging fire of rebellion,” one that threatens to engulf every remaining structure, institution, and aspiration of the PDP. He is correct: if the party persists on this self-destructive trajectory, it may soon find itself incapable of presenting candidates in the 2027 elections a political extinction event entirely of its own making.
Aborisade’s voice may be echoing from across the ocean, yet the urgency resonates strongly within Nigeria’s political landscape. The PDP is not just fragmented; it is bleeding. Each expulsion leads to a corresponding counter-expulsion. Every accusation triggers an equal and opposite response. The center can no longer hold.
Meanwhile, as the ruling APC continues to strengthen its grip on power, the PDP appears intent on self-destruction even before any election takes place.
The Oyo governorship aspirant presented what could be the last viable lifeline available:
Sheathe the swords. Begin private discussions. Pursue peace not for the sake of ego, nor for factional pride, but for the sake of survival.
He cautioned that the party’s elders, national leaders, and governors must urgently engage in a closed-door, ego-free negotiation. “Unity,” he emphasized, “is the sole route to restoring stability.” Anything less, he warned, will result in the party’s descent into political irrelevance.
Aborisade is not simply advocating for peace he is advocating for revival.
The pressing question now is: Will the PDP heed this call before the flames consume everything to ashes?
