A former member of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Yusuf, has attributed the ongoing crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the failure of some party leaders to prioritise the unity of the party over their personal political ambitions.
Yusuf, who represented the Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency, believes that the party’s internal divisions stem from personal interests taking precedence over the collective good.
In a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program, Yusuf discussed the future of the PDP, particularly the leadership of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku has contested for the PDP presidential ticket in the last two elections, but Yusuf argued that it was now time for him to step aside and allow the party to return to its original zoning formula to promote peace and unity within the party.
“If I have my way, I will advise former Vice President Atiku, leave PDP ticket, let it go to the South even if we don’t win the presidential election, we would have been seen as going back to our original modus operandi where party positions are zoned,” Yusuf said.
He emphasized that such a move would restore faith in the party, especially in the South-South and South-East regions, which he believes have traditionally been the strongholds of the PDP.
“Look at the South-South and the South-East, which have been reasonably the bedrock of the PDP. You just come and pick a ticket, people will start losing hope because the desire of everybody is to get to the peak of their career,” Yusuf explained.
He further noted that when party members realise they cannot secure the ticket due to the dominance of a particular region, they become frustrated, which worsens internal division.
The PDP has been grappling with severe internal crises since the 2023 general elections, resulting in several top members, including governors and National Assembly members, defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The most recent defectors include Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, his deputy Monday Onyeme, his predecessor Ifeanyi Okowa, and other prominent PDP figures in the state. They officially joined the APC on Wednesday.
Yusuf, reflecting on the crisis, described the situation as self-inflicted by the party leadership. He accused the PDP governors of deliberately allowing the chaos to persist, which in turn justified their eventual defection to other political platforms.
