The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the recent withdrawal of some of its chairmanship candidates from the upcoming Abuja Area Council elections, describing the move as “shameful” and taken without the party’s consent.
In a statement released Friday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP said it received the news “with utter dismay,” calling the action anti-democratic and unacceptable.
The party stressed that democracy thrives on competitive contests, not what it described as “forced or induced consensus,” suggesting that the withdrawals reflect a worrying trend in the lead-up to the Federal Capital Territory local council polls.
PDP accused certain individuals, allegedly parading themselves as party leaders, of attempting to compromise the party’s independence for the benefit of the President.
It claimed the withdrawals are part of a broader strategy to weaken opposition within the party ahead of future elections.
The statement also recalled that some of the affected individuals had previously been expelled from the party as part of efforts to rebuild a strong opposition capable of contesting power in 2027.
“As sad as this development is, it is a pointer to the type of voodoo democracy promoted by those parading as leaders of the PDP, whose only interest is to ‘hold’ the party for the President.
“This is exactly what they intended to do to Nigerians, when close to the Presidential elections, they can compel, induce or cajole all the other candidates to step down or withdraw for the President to have a smooth sail back to Aso Rock Villa, despite the abysmal performance of his administration,” the statement read.
The NWC vowed to safeguard the party’s democratic processes and ensure that internal elections reflect the will of its members.
