Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the 2024 Edo election, has reaffirmed his commitment to the party and its members during a stakeholders’ meeting held at the PDP state secretariat in Benin City.
Speaking to party faithful, Ighodalo thanked them for their loyalty despite the Supreme Court’s judgment affirming APC’s Monday Okpebholo as the elected governor.
He called on members to remain courageous, assuring them that the PDP leadership would consult widely before taking any decisive steps concerning the party’s future in Edo State.
“The leaders will meet and return to the people. Nobody will dictate to anybody. We will collectively decide where to go,” Ighodalo said, before announcing a ₦2 million donation to each of the 18 local government chapters — totaling ₦36 million — to support grassroots party structures.
The meeting also doubled as a strategic forum, with party leaders openly discussing plans to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election. Despite the strong rhetoric, speakers acknowledged the internal divisions plaguing the PDP, especially in Edo State, as a major obstacle.
PDP State Caretaker Committee Chairman, Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, set the tone by alleging that the APC, with the backing of the Presidency, security agencies, and judiciary, “stole” the people’s mandate in the last election.
“The next thing is: how do we get Tinubu out in 2027?” Aziegbemi asked. “We cannot continue with the way things are being run in the country.”His comments sparked a wave of responses from party members, many of whom expressed skepticism about the PDP’s readiness to challenge the APC nationally if internal conflicts persist.
Party Members Voice Concerns Over Disunity Former Deputy Chief of Staff to Governor Obaseki, Jimoh Ijegbai, questioned the party’s viability as an effective opposition:> “If you say we should remove Tinubu, with what vehicle? The PDP is divided. Unless we fix that, we are only deceiving ourselves.”Women’s leader Alberta Okonofua echoed this, stating, “If we don’t put our house in order, I don’t know how we’re going to oust him (Tinubu).
”Hon. Matthew Iduoriyekemwen, former DG of the Ighodalo Campaign Organization, went further, expressing doubt about the party’s ability to win upcoming by-elections:> “With the institutions as they are today, I don’t see how we can win any election. The PDP must solve its problems from the national level. If Asue’s votes didn’t count, I doubt any future votes will.
”Call for Party Reform The stakeholders’ meeting concluded with a strong call for national reconciliation and party reform to reposition the PDP as a credible opposition ahead of 2027.
While Ighodalo’s donation boosted morale, the overarching message was clear: the PDP must resolve its internal crisis before it can realistically challenge the APC in future elections.
