• Says PDP is a formidable party

From John Adams Minna

Former Minister for Information and National Orientation and member of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees, Professor Jerry Gana, has made it clear the PDP will not join a coalition or merge with any political party ahead of the 2027 general elections in the country.

The professor said that despite the current setback being experienced by the party, PDP is a very solid and organised political party and absolutely trusted by Nigerians, stressing that the leaders of the party are doing serious underground work to bring the party back to where it should be ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The PDP BoT member spoke to the Daily Sun in an exclusive interview shortly after attending this year’s Nupe Christian Fellowship International Conference in Bida, Niger State, at the weekend.

Professor Gana pointed out that now that the PDP is an opposition party, all kindss of things are happening but assured Nigerians and the party supporters that the party will soon resolve all the issues at hand and give the country an alternative that will be very clear, very credible and very desirable.

According to him, “In political development there are bases, and people like us have seen a lot of things in politics. Right now the PDP is in opposition, so there are all kindss of things that are happening,, but let Nigerians wait. We will soon come up to resolve all the issues at hand right now and move forward and give the nation an alternative that will be very clear, very credible and very desirable.

“Forget about the struggle to be here and there because there is a new political order that is emerging, but let Nigerians give the PDP a few months; we will correct it and give Nigerians a better and clearer alternative.

“PDP is a very solid and organised political party and absolutely trusted by Nigerians. PDP took over power from the military, and we restored democracy, good governance, fairness, justice, and equity in the country.”

Professor Gana,, who expressed regret over the current economic and security situation in the country, stated that Nigeria as a country was doing greatly well under PDP, adding that “the country’s economy was doing so well; Nigeria paid her foreign debts and put up institutions that are very durable. It was unfortunate that some people made a few mistakes because they don’t know how to govern.”

The BoT member who went on a historic excursion on the formation of the party said the political agreement that was reached in 1998 during the formation of the party was tampered with, hence the current crisis in the party.

“The truth is that PDP made some mistakes, and that is why we are where we are today, and we must own up to our mistakes. In 1998, when the PDP was formed, we agreed on a power shift so that power would shift to the north and to the south, so the whole nation would stabilise and give every section of the country a sense of belonging, so that there would be equity, justice and fairness.

“In 1999, we all agreed that the power must shift to the South, after which it will come back to the North. The South had it for eight years under Obasanjo, the North had it for eight years under Buhari, and in 2023, some of us who are the custodians of the party history said no, it is not the turn of the North. We must make sure that the power shifts to the South, and one or two people insisted that the North should still have it. That is where the mistake comes from, and it was a serious mistake, but thank God people are recognising that mistake, and Nigerians and supporters of the PDP will soon hear goodness.

“We shall come back again, take over the government and move the country forward. People are working underground, and we are telling ourselves the truth,, and people are listening to the truth,, and very soon PDP will be back stronger. PDP will emerge, PDP will move forward,, and in 2027, PDP will return Nigeria back to the good old days of peace and economic prosperity,” he added.

While dismissing the possibility of any coalition, Gana said,, “PDP will not join any coalition because when we formed the party in 1998, it was a coalition; it was a platform for democracy and a very powerful coalition”, adding further that “All that the party needs now is a new leadership, and we shall surprise Nigerians with a good and credible candidate for 2027.

“Knowing the capacity, the ideas and power that we possess, we cannot go into merger or coalition with any political party. PDP is the only political party that is tested and trusted and found to be the only option for Nigeria’s greatness.

“All that we need, like I said, is a new leadership,, after which we will present a new proposal to Nigerians,, and we will give Nigerians purposeful leadership,” he submitted.