The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared its readiness to reclaim power from the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections, saying the party has learned from past mistakes and is undergoing a rebuilding process.
The PDP National Chairman, Senator Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, SAN, stated this during a meeting with former PDP governors and ministers who served under previous PDP administrations.
Turaki said the party had reflected on its past shortcomings and was determined to correct them, stressing that the newly elected National Working Committee (NWC) was committed to repositioning the party for electoral victory.
“This is a new PDP,” he said. “I want to assure Nigerians that the PDP is their party. Please take back your party and, in doing so, tell us what you want.
“Having admitted that mistakes have been made, it means we are now ready to correct those mistakes.”
The PDP chairman reiterated his commitment to returning the party to the people, assuring party leaders that the NWC was open to advice and guidance on how to move the party forward.
He said the ultimate goal was to return the PDP to power, adding that transparency, equity, fairness, and justice would guide the party’s engagement with Nigerians.
“We will ensure that there is transparency. We will ensure that there is equity. We will ensure that there is fairness, and above all, justice in our relationship with the Nigerian people,” Turaki said.
He expressed confidence that the new leadership would benefit from the experience and counsel of party elders, noting that the PDP, during its years in government, built strong institutions and grew the nation’s economy.
According to him, those achievements explain why many Nigerians are eager for the party’s return to power.
Speaking on behalf of former PDP governors, former Niger State Governor, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, accused the ruling APC of abusing leadership and failing to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
“It is our responsibility to ensure that by 2027, we have done well enough to give succour, to give hope, and to help Nigerians,” he said.
Aliyu assured the NWC of the former governors’ readiness to work with the current leadership, while calling for committed, honest, dedicated, and diligent individuals to occupy leadership positions within the party.
He also urged members who left the PDP to reconsider their decisions, stressing that a political party should not be joined or abandoned in haste.
“We must continue to do things in accordance with the rules and regulations as we understand them. We may be disappointed with what has been happening, but we must not be discouraged,” he said.
Former Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, who spoke on behalf of former ministers, commended the rebuilding efforts of the party leadership.
“From what I have seen in the last four or five weeks, the chairman has done far more than we expected,” Shekarau said.
“We are impressed by the performance, the visits, the meetings, and the strong will with which we confronted the challenges.”
He recalled the inauguration of newly elected party officials at the PDP national headquarters, describing it as a demonstration of resilience and determination.
“When we went to inaugurate the newly elected officers at our national headquarters, we defied tear gas and threats from hired uniformed men. We were able to gain access to our headquarters, and the National Chairman addressed the nation from his desk,” he said.
