Nigerians have lost trust in PDP – Suswam

Former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, has expressed deep concern over the declining state of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying the party has lost the trust of Nigerians due to its unresolved internal crises and lack of effective leadership.

Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Tuesday, Suswam stated that both ordinary citizens and stakeholders no longer have interest in the opposition party.

He pointed out that the ongoing leadership issues have caused many members to silently disconnect from the party.

“There are many fundamental problems in PDP and those problems have not been sorted out. So, a lot of people, in their minds, are no longer in PDP, a lot of stakeholders, and that’s because of the failure of leadership in PDP,” he said.

He warned that unless the PDP urgently addresses its leadership challenges and presents a credible candidate, it stands no chance of winning the 2027 presidential election.

Suswam also condemned the practice of giving the party’s presidential ticket to the highest bidder, stressing that the PDP’s nationwide structure should naturally position it as a strong contender in any election.

Suswam said, “Two factors that can enhance PDP’s chances in the next election. The first is transparent leadership. People have lost confidence in PDP completely. This is a party that has structures all over the country, but because of a lack of good leadership, that has diminished substantially. The second issue is the candidate. When we talk about candidates, let us have people who have interests. It is not just about somebody sitting and saying I want to be presidential candidate of PDP, that will not suffice.”

His remarks came shortly after PDP governors declared that the party would not participate in any coalition or merger ahead of the 2027 general elections.

This decision runs contrary to the stance of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has been a strong voice in the push for a coalition to strengthen the opposition.

The PDP governors made their position known in a communiqué issued after a meeting held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on Monday, April 14, 2025, where they firmly stated that “The party will not join any coalition or merger.”

Following the governors’ announcement, Chief Bode George, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, also voiced his disapproval of Atiku’s potential return as the party’s presidential flag bearer. George, known for his outspoken views on party affairs, warned that allowing Atiku to emerge again would mark the end of the PDP’s relevance in Nigerian politics.

Atiku Abubakar, who has been running for the presidency for over thirty years, was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2019 and 2023 elections.