Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has claimed that three more governors under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are preparing to dump the party, signalling more trouble for Nigeria’s main opposition party.
Fayose made the disclosure on Wednesday during an interview on Politics Today, a political programme on Channels Television.
His statement comes shortly after news emerged that Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri, had resigned from the PDP, though the party is yet to make an official statement on the matter.
Fayose, known for his outspoken style, warned that only five PDP governors may be left standing soon, as internal disagreements and power struggles continue to rock the party.
“Let me tell you, there are three more governors that will leave soon,” he said. “There will be five remaining. The five remaining, one of them will struggle to catch the ticket, and they all know that the ticket is an ordinary tissue paper.”
Fayose, who governed Ekiti State from 2003 to 2006 and again from 2014 to 2018, accused some PDP governors of damaging the party because of their desire to control its structure at all costs.
“They are largely killing the party because they want to control it. This is what happened in 2023,” he said, referring to the internal crisis that affected the PDP’s performance in the last general elections.
The PDP, once Nigeria’s ruling party for 16 years, has been struggling to find its footing since losing power to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015. Its defeat in the 2023 presidential election further exposed deep cracks within the party, especially over zoning, leadership, and internal democracy.
Before the 2023 elections, the party was also hit by the exit of several key figures, including former governors and lawmakers, who either joined the ruling APC or aligned with other political movements.
Fayose’s latest comments are expected to intensify debates about the future of the PDP, especially as it prepares for upcoming off-cycle elections and the 2027 general polls.
Fayose, though no longer holding an official position in the party, remains an influential voice, especially in the South-West. He has often criticised PDP leadership for ignoring grassroots voices and warned that the party risks becoming irrelevant if urgent reforms are not made.
As of now, PDP still controls a number of states, including Osun, Akwa Ibom, Delta, and Bauchi. However, Fayose’s warning raises concerns that the number may shrink even further if the party fails to address its internal problems.
