By Adeyemi Adeleye
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, says the party’s crisis will not destroy its chances in 2027 following the constitution of the interim National Working Committee after Supreme Court ruling.
Pearse, who served on the 2023 Presidential Campaign Committee of Atiku Abubakar and is Convener of the Reset Lagos PDP group, spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
He said the PDP Interim National Working Committee had assumed leadership responsibilities pending the resolution of legal disputes within the party.
According to him, the committee has already begun preparations for the 2027 general elections.
He said schedules for nomination forms and other electoral activities had been released.
Pearse added that the party had adopted consensus candidature across states and positions.
He added that aspirants had already started purchasing nomination forms.
Speaking on the leadership tussle, Pearse said the PDP was operating in line with the Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 30.
He said the judgment restored the status quo under the leadership of acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
“Based on that judgment, the Board of Trustees invoked constitutional powers and temporarily took possession of the party.
“The NEC subsequently instituted the Interim National Working Committee now piloting the affairs of the PDP.
“We are awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment, but preparations are ongoing because we are confident the ruling supports our position,” he said.
Pearse dismissed concerns over the occupation of the party secretariat by a rival faction.
According to him, the PDP structure transcends any physical building.
“A secretariat is only a building; it is not the party itself. Wherever party members gather and operate becomes the functional secretariat of the PDP.
“We have several alternative facilities available to us if necessary,” he said.
Pearse also insisted that the authentic PDP leadership retained control of the party’s accounts and structures nationwide.
He said no vacuum exists in the party’s state structures despite factional disagreements.
“There has never been a vacuum in the PDP structure across the states. The courts never nullified state structures. In every local government and state, PDP structures still exist,” he said.
Pearse urged party members and aspirants not to panic over the ongoing crisis.
He maintained that the PDP remained a critical institution for sustaining democracy in Nigeria.
“I have consistently maintained that nothing will stop the PDP because allowing this crisis to destroy the party would amount to the collapse of multiparty democracy in Nigeria.
“Some people already left the party in large numbers for other platforms like the ADC, but many are now regretting those decisions.
“I warned them at the time, and I am warning others again not to waste their political future on uncertainty,” Pearse said.
He accused some individuals of attempting to weaken opposition politics in the country.
According to him, Nigerians deserve credible political alternatives ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Every Nigerian voter deserves genuine political choices. No individual should attempt to impose a one-party dominance on the country.
“The law will eventually take its course on every matter, and accountability will prevail,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
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