The Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared its primary political agenda for the next electoral cycle: to ensure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not re-elected in 2027.
This declaration was made by the State Caretaker Committee Chairman of the party, Tony Aziegbemi, during a stakeholders' meeting held in Benin City on Monday. The gathering brought together party members, leaders, stakeholders, and supporters to chart a path forward following recent electoral setbacks.
Aziegbemi addressed the Supreme Court judgment which recently reaffirmed Senator Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as winner of the September 21, 2024, Edo governorship election. Despite this loss, he urged party members to unite around a new objective.
"The next thing I am urging everyone of us on behalf of PDP in Edo State is how to get Tinubu out of presidency in 2027. That is our next target," Aziegbemi stated emphatically.
He criticized the current administration's economic policies, adding: "They have ruined the economy of this nation and the next thing is to make sure that he is removed from power in 2027. That is the mandate we are charging you going forward."
The PDP chairman encouraged members not to be deterred by recent setbacks, expressing confidence that "God in His infinite mercy will give all of us the strength and the will to go through this because hard times don't last, but tough people do."
Internal Party Challenges Acknowledged
However, not all party members shared Aziegbemi's optimism about the feasibility of this agenda. Barrister Jimoh Ijegbai, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs as well as Commissioner for Education under Governor Godwin Obaseki's administration, raised concerns about the party's internal divisions.
"Our chairman has spoken well. Our chairman is telling us to prepare to take President Tinubu out of government. I don't know which vehicle you are expecting us to use to remove the President from office," Ijegbai questioned.
He warned against pretending that all is well within the party, both at the state and national levels, noting that "a house that is divided against itself cannot hold." Ijegbai pointed to ongoing factional issues within the party, with different groups already announcing their own candidates for upcoming by-elections.
"Are we going to start a round of litigation right from the High Court down to the Supreme Court? I don't think we should go that road again," he cautioned, urging party leaders to address internal challenges before setting ambitious electoral goals.
The former commissioner emphasized the need for unity and clarity about the party's direction in Edo State, suggesting that waiting for the National Convention of the PDP would not resolve their local issues.
This development comes as opposition parties begin positioning themselves for the 2027 general elections, with economic concerns becoming a central campaign issue amid Nigeria's ongoing financial challenges.
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