This analogy, is for those, who believed, in the school of thought that, His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde GSSRS belonged to erstwhile G5 and betrayed PDP in 2023 presidential general election.

For clarity, reasons why His Excellency Governor Seyi Makinde GSSRS was seen with members of G5 headed by former Governor of Rivers State and the current FCT Minister as well as the role His Excellency, Governor Seyi played in the defunct G5 will be unveiled in due course without prejudices.

Before then, it is imperative to remind those who are hell bent on rejecting Governor Seyi Presidential ambition simply because he was seen with a group of five PDP Governors as follows:

1. In 2014/2015 members of PDP under auspices of New-PDP led by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar GCON, former Vice President of Nigeria on PDP platform, orchestrated the defeat of PDP incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan GCFR, and paved way for APC led Federal Government. This is undeniably, the reason why, Nigeria is where we are today, in terms of insecurity and economic woes. I was a participant in the 2015 electoral process in Nigeria and my state, Taraba State. I know what I saw.

2. In 2017,PDP leaders in a Constitutional Review Committee headed by His Excellency,Senator Gabriel Torwua Suswam CON, deliberately amended the PDP Constitution to allow for returnees like His Excellency Atiku Abubakar GCON and others to have equal rights as members of PDP who never defected at all since inception of PDP. We all, clapped and affirmed at eagle square on 10th December, 2017. I was a member of Publicity Committee for December, 2017 PDP National Elective Convention. I know, what I saw.

3. Recall that, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar GCON, returned to PDP officially in December 2017 and on 5th December, 2017 at the NEC Hall of PDP National Secretariat where he addressed a World Press Conference to justify, why he left APC led Federal Government under then President Buhari few years after he orchestrated their coming to power. I was in the NEC Hall about to have publicity committee meeting before Alh. Atiku Abubakar GCON arrived from the office of PDP then Acting National Chairman His Excellency, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi CON. I know, what I saw and heard.

4. In 2018, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar GCON was considered by most of PDP national leaders as the most suitable candidate to unseat President Buhari, considering the fact that, he is from the North where President Buhari hails from. PDP Southerners, allow and didn’t contest against the aspirants from the North. I was a member of 2019 presidential campaign council committee on Welfare and North East Campaign Organization. So, I know, what I saw that is why, I am talking.

5. PDP southerners had qualified aspirants for, 2019 Presidential ticket but allow the North because it was a strategy to defeat President Buhari with his kinsman or fellow northerner. I was a witness to this reality, as a member of PDP 2019 presidential campaign council committees.

6. In 2022, PDP presidential ticket was made open because the North couldn’t defeat their own in 2019 but luckily for the North, His Excellency Atiku Abubakar GCON got the Presidential ticket. Unlike the 2019 scenario, when PDP presidential candidate was from the North while PDP National Chairman was from the South in Person of His Excellency, Hon. Prince Uche Secondus, the North insisted to have both presidential candidate and PDP national chairman at the expense of 2023 presidency unfortunately. I was a witness to this unfortunate reality because I participated in 2021 PDP National Convention as member of Contact and Mobilization committee headed by former Governor Darius of Taraba state hence I recall, what I saw.

7. Now in 2025, some Northern stakeholders of PDP are hell bent on retaining the position of PDP National chairman and 2027 presidential candidacy. Isn’t this a clear call for the unfortunate 2023 scenario to repeat itself? I am a living witness to these unfolding realities that needs to be tamed democratically.

WAY FORWARD FOR PDP PRESIDENTIAL MOVES AS WE BRACE UP FOR 2026 PDP PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES.

1. PDP should allow all members of the defunct G5 to freely participate on equal rights basis as New-PDP members who orchestrated the defeat of PDP incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan GCFR were allowed in 2017/2018/2019

2. 2027 PDP presidential ticket should be allowed for only PDP aspirants from the South like Southerners allowed North to contest against their fellow northerner President Buhari in 2019 as a strategy to break the APC votes in the South and consolidate winning with Northern votes.

3. PDP Stakeholders should ensure that, a credible, acceptable and honorable man from the North is given a substantive PDP National Chairmanship to lead PDP to 2027 presidential victory.

4. PDP Stakeholders, should consider His Excellency, Governor Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde as the most suitable candidate to be used as alternative to President Tinubu and APC led Federal Government come 2027 without prejudices.

5. PDP stakeholders, may consider the most suitable Vice Presidential Candidate from the North whose character reflects a people centered leader in tandem with his antecedents of people centered public policies.

6. It is incumbent on all PDP stakeholders, to forgive one another and consider PDP vision and mission in Nigeria that was truncated in 2015 as our common interest without sentiments.

7. PDP stakeholders, moving forward, should prioritize the use of internal disputes resolution mechanism above litigations wherein the votes or decisions of PDP stakeholders like BOT, NWC and PDP Governors while we wait for PDP NEC in the majority should count above individual or interest groups’ ambition. Because to win 2027 presidential general election, PDP need a unified and formidable internal structure and presidential team to defeat the incumbent President Tinubu and APC led federal government.

Conclusively, it is incumbent on all members and officials of PDP stakeholders to eschew violent approach to resolving internal issues like PDP National Secretary and Rivers State PDP leadership tussles in the media unfortunately. Because, these acts are denting PDP public image as far as political party leadership is concerned and the need to resort to dialogue with one another on democratic tables should not be undermined at all levels by all organs of PDP across Nigeria for the sake of Democracy our founding fathers fought military for.

Optimistically, with His Excellency, Governor Oluwaseyi Abiodun Makinde GSSRS, as PDP 2027 presidential candidate, the task of defeating President Tinubu and APC led Federal Government in 2027 presidential election will be made easier and earlier at the polls.

Goodluck everyone with me on this analysis.

©️DENNIS SHIMA,
The Political Analyst/Scientist, Abuja, Nigeria.