2023: How PDP Crisis Threatens Atiku’s Chances In Ekiti

Barely four days to the 2023 presidential election, there are strong indications that the current crisis in the Ekiti State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) may undermine the victory of Atiku Abubakar in the state.

As February 25 approaches, political gladiators and chieftains of the party are in top gear to ensure the party regain power at the national level after it totally lost the 2022 governorship election to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

As the election form the major talking point amongst residents of the state, there is anxiety because of its political volatility and the opportunity the poll offer for political contenders to flex muscles at the polling units.

After the APC emerges as the winner of the June 18, 2022, gubernatorial election with its flagbearer, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, the SDP which had Engr. Segun Oni as its candidate emerges as the second winner at the poll while the PDP came third.

This, has, however, made the trio the strongest parties in the state with population, spread and structures but the situation may change at the forthcoming presidential poll due to some dynamics recently introduced into the polity.

Apart from the presidential election, the federal legislative poll is also generating interest among politicians and eligible voters in the state fondly referred to as the Land of Honour.

Ekiti has three senatorial seats for the North, Central and South and six federal constituency seats in Ekiti North 1 (Oye and Ikole), Ekiti North 2 (Ido/Osi, Moba and Ilejemeje), Ekiti Central 1 (Ado/Irepodun/Ifelodun), Ekiti Central 2 (Ekiti West, Ijero and Efon), Ekiti South 1 (Ekiti Southwest, Ikere, Ise/Orun) and Ekiti South 2 (Emure, Gbonyin and Ekiti East).

In 1999, while the PDP won the presidency, the then Alliance for Democracy (AD) secured majority seats in the National Assembly.

But in the subsequent general election cycles of 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019, it was the party that controlled the federal power that won the majority of the votes in the state and that of 2023 may not be different.

However, the PDP appears to be the strongest opposition party in the state but it has continued to decline and lose its potency to give APC a run for its money since its fall from power in the 2018 governorship election in the state.

The party has sunk deeper into an internal crisis which it has found difficult to resolve despite intervention by the zonal and national leadership.

The party’s only face at the national level and the Senator representing Ekiti South Senatorial District, Mrs Biodun Olujimi has been embroiled in sharp disagreement with the last PDP governor in the state, Mr Ayodele Fayose for control of the party’s structure.

This led the party to have an ignominious record of losing the governorship election two times consecutively with many of its members defecting to APC and SDP.

The rift in the party came to the fore when its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, came to the state for his presidential campaign rally on January 18 with party chieftains, members and candidates loyal to Fayose boycotting the rally.

The boycott led to the suspension of two senatorial candidates and five House of Reps candidates.

While the suspension of one of the senatorial candidates was later lifted, the other senatorial candidate and five House of Reps candidates, including the son of former Governor, Joju Fayose, were expelled from the party.

The division in the party has rendered it unattractive to the electorate who are disappointed that the ruling party is poised to have an easy run at the general elections.

PDP is too weak to give a competitive resistance to APC, more so with Fayose’s alleged tacit support for Tinubu rather than Atiku.

Source: New Telegraph