The internal crisis rocking the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new turn, raising concerns about the future of the party and the potential consequences for Nigeria’s democracy. As the party faces a deepening leadership crisis, Phrank Shaibu, Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has accused President Bola Tinubu of fueling the instability in the PDP. Shaibu warned that the current crisis could push Nigeria toward a one-party system, dominated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The trouble within the PDP escalated last week when the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) became embroiled in a series of suspensions and counter-suspensions. The PDP, Nigeria’s main opposition party, has been in disarray since its defeat in the 2023 general elections, and these recent developments only add to its woes.
It began when the NWC, led by the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, suspended two key officials: the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, and the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade. The suspensions were reportedly due to internal disputes, but it did not take long before a faction within the party retaliated.
In a dramatic move, the Ajibade faction suspended Damagum and the National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu. This act of counter-suspension plunged the PDP deeper into chaos, creating two factions within the NWC. To further complicate matters, a new factional PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Yayari Mohammed, emerged, worsening the division in the party.
As tensions rose, the Abuja Federal High Court intervened, ruling that Umar Damagum should remain the acting National Chairman of the PDP until the party’s national convention, scheduled for December 2025. The court issued a clear directive that no other individual should be recognized as the party’s chairman, effectively freezing the situation.
This court ruling seemed to provide temporary relief to the embattled Damagum camp. However, the emergence of Alhaji Yayari Mohammed as a factional leader indicates that the struggle for control within the PDP is far from over.
PDP governors, who hold significant influence within the party, stepped in and called for the status quo to be maintained. They urged the various factions to respect the court’s decision and avoid further deepening the crisis.
The PDP governors are seen as key stakeholders who can broker peace within the party. Their intervention has brought a brief moment of calm, but it remains uncertain whether this will lead to a long-lasting resolution.
Reacting to the turmoil, Phrank Shaibu, who serves as Atiku Abubakar’s media aide, expressed grave concerns about the impact of the leadership tussle on the future of the PDP. In an interview with Daily Post, Shaibu warned that the crisis, if not resolved swiftly, could lead to the collapse of the party and the establishment of a one-party state in Nigeria.
“If it’s unresolved and they allow those working for the APC to succeed with their agenda, then it will be a natural result. It will be a one-party state,” Shaibu said.
He accused some members within the PDP of working as “paid agents” for the APC, deliberately fueling the crisis to weaken the party. According to Shaibu, these individuals are motivated by selfish interests, and their actions are aligned with the agenda of the ruling APC.
“A group of boys went around town bragging that they were working for the APC yet remained with the party, so what do you expect to get? It’s either we allow them to kill the party and turn Nigeria into a one-party state or stop them and do the right thing,” Shaibu stated.
Shaibu did not mince words when he pointed fingers at President Bola Tinubu, alleging that the President has a hand in the PDP’s internal strife. He claimed that Tinubu is orchestrating the crisis to weaken the opposition and establish a one-party system, much like he allegedly did in Lagos State during his tenure as governor.
“We know his (Tinubu’s) strategy even as governor. He operated a one-party system in Lagos State, even after leaving office, for over 20 years,” Shaibu alleged.
According to Shaibu, Tinubu’s long-term goal is to neutralize the PDP, ensuring that the APC dominates Nigeria’s political landscape without any serious opposition.
“Instead of governance, they are already thinking of 2027, and they need to continue stoking this kind of crisis to remain relevant, so that their paymasters will continue to pay them,” Shaibu said, alluding to members of the PDP who, he believes, are working secretly for the APC.
Shaibu warned that if the PDP remains divided, it could spell the end of the party as a credible opposition force. “A house divided against itself can’t stand,” he emphasized, urging PDP members to unite and resolve the leadership crisis before it’s too late.
The prospect of Nigeria becoming a one-party state is a serious concern for many political observers. The country’s democracy, restored in 1999, has relied on the presence of a strong opposition to hold the ruling party accountable. However, with the PDP in disarray, some fear that the APC could become too dominant, eroding the checks and balances that are essential to a healthy democracy.
Shaibu stressed that the continued infighting within the PDP plays directly into the hands of the APC, whose aim is to eliminate any effective opposition. He urged PDP members to resist the influence of those working against the party from within and to refocus on rebuilding the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
“They know that if the crisis continues, there is no way they can get anything out of it because a house divided against itself can’t stand,” Shaibu said.
