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The Nasarawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has formally set its machinery in motion for the 2027 general elections, declaring that the party is prepared to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and return to power in the state.
The declaration was made by the state PDP chairman, Dr Joel Daniel Gimba, after an expanded executive council meeting in Lafia on Tuesday, as the party prepared for the official commencement of its 2027 campaign activities in line with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) timetable.
Gimba described the campaign flag-off as a milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections, saying the PDP had remained firmly rooted across the state.
“This is a milestone to kick-start and declare our readiness for the 2027 general election. I am saying it boldly, without any apology, that PDP in Nasarawa State has come to stay,” he said.
According to him, the party was prepared to prove its popularity and acceptability among the people of the state by reclaiming what he described as its stolen mandate.
“For long, we have been struggling. Our mandate has been taken away from us. But this time around, we are here. The entire Nasarawa State has already testified, and they are ready to push and move with us to see that we reclaim our mandate and take over Shendam Road in 2027, by the grace of God,” Gimba said.
He said all PDP candidates were ready for the elections, adding that the party’s growing acceptance could be seen from the ward to the state level.
“All our candidates are fully ready and fully equipped. You can see it by yourself, the acceptability from the ward level to the state level. There is no village today in Nasarawa State that you will enter and you will not hear a clear sound of PDP victory.
“Victory is our song, and we will continue to sing it alongside the people of Nasarawa State.”
The PDP chairman expressed confidence in the party’s governorship candidate, Rt Hon. David Emmanuel Ombugadu, saying he remained strong and prepared to contest the election.
“Our governorship candidate still stands strong, and he is still going to prove it again. He has done it once, twice, and by this time around, by the grace of God, we are going to take over our mandate. Nothing is taking our mandate away from us,” he declared.
Gimba further appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and INEC to provide a peaceful environment for the 2027 elections, stressing that voters must be allowed to cast their ballots without intimidation or violence.
“I will still plead with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and INEC to please provide a good and peaceful enabling environment where the masses will come out and cast their votes peacefully without violence or whatsoever.
“We have done it previous years ago, and we will still repeat it this time around,” he said.
On the opposition and the political developments within other parties, Gimba said the PDP was not distracted, insisting that the party would defeat its opponents irrespective of their number.
“You know PDP as a party has other opposition that we are contesting with. Plus or minus, I know that we have contestants that will be dragging with us, but all I know is that whether they are 100 or 50, we will definitely win our election,” he said.
Gimba also clarified that Tuesday’s meeting was primarily focused on the readiness of the Nasarawa PDP for the 2027 elections and not on whether the party would support President Tinubu’s re-election bid.
“This conference, this particular meeting, is mainly on Nasarawa State readiness, declaration of our readiness to stand and take over our mandate, and we are waiting for further directives from our headquarters,” he said.
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He noted that the PDP had its own presidential candidate and that any decision on the party’s position regarding the presidential election would have to come from the national leadership.
“PDP, as a party, has its own presidential candidate. Even if there are further directives, it has to come from above,” Gimba said, adding that the state chapter could hold another press conference to declare its position on the presidential campaign.
Responding to questions over the leadership crisis within the PDP and reports of two governorship candidates emerging from different camps, Gimba insisted that the Nasarawa chapter recognised Ombugadu as its candidate.
“As you know, we always stand by the side of truth and by the side of the law,” he said.
He maintained that the faction led by Turaki was not the authentic leadership recognised by the party’s legal structure, insisting that the leadership recognised by INEC was the one the Nasarawa chapter would follow.
“All our candidates have been uploaded to INEC’s server. Definitely, we stand by INEC. Anywhere INEC stands, we stand by them because we so much believe that INEC knows the law.
“They have professional lawyers that can interpret the various judgments, and it is in that line they know who is authentic in charge of PDP,” he said.
Gimba therefore reaffirmed Ombugadu as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
“Our governorship candidate for this 2027 general election is Dr David Emmanuel Ombugadu,” he declared.
The chairman further dismissed claims of factionalisation within the Nasarawa PDP, saying the party remained united despite the defection of some members to opposition parties.
“PDP in Nasarawa State has no faction,” Gimba said.
He described those who had left the party as individuals exercising their personal choices, insisting that their departure had not affected the structure of the party.
“I am telling you that in my entire leadership, no one is missing. We are fully coordinated. Those that left are not members of PDP, and even if they claim so, maybe they were not under the Abdullahi-led PDP,” he said.
According to him, the party was receiving new members from opposition parties on a daily basis.
“We have been receiving a lot of people from the opposition and various parties back to PDP,” he said.
On how the PDP intends to avoid a repeat of the events surrounding the disputed 2023 governorship election, Gimba said the party would deploy every lawful mechanism to protect its votes.
“We will make sure that we employ all the necessary processes, all the due processes in line with the law, to see that the rights of the people are protected.
“They must be allowed to vote, their votes must be counted, and we will protect their votes to where they will announce our leader as the winner of the 2027 election,” he said.
