Fayose Warns PDP Faces Fourth-Place Finish In 2027 Elections Amid Leadership Crisis.
Former Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose has issued a stark warning about the future of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), predicting it will finish fourth in Nigeria’s 2027 general elections due to internal crises and the sidelining of key leaders. Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Fayose described the party as a “carcass,” weakened by infighting, defections, and a failure to reconcile its fractured leadership, raising concerns about its viability as Nigeria’s main opposition force.
Fayose, a prominent PDP figure and member of the now-defunct G5 group of governors, attributed the party’s decline to the marginalisation of influential members, including himself. He revealed he skipped the PDP’s recent National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, despite being invited, citing “repeated acts of disrespect” and sabotage by the party’s leadership. “The soul of PDP is gone; only the body remains,” he said, pointing to the exodus of high-profile figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, and governors like Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom and Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta, who have defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) or aligned with the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The former governor predicted a grim electoral outlook, stating, “The APC will come first, Peter Obi’s Labour Party will come second, ADC will come third, and PDP will come fourth.” He argued that the PDP’s structure has been “compromised” in most states, leaving it politically vulnerable. Fayose’s comments follow the party’s poor performance in the 2023 elections, where it lost key states and failed to reclaim federal power. He urged urgent reconciliation to avert further decline, warning, “The truth hurts, but unless we face it, PDP may not recover.”
Despite his criticisms, Fayose has not formally left the PDP but hinted at openness to joining other platforms, including the APC, ADC, or Labour Party. He recalled rejecting an invitation from President Bola Tinubu to join the APC, citing his loyalty to the PDP, but praised Tinubu’s political acumen, describing him as the “shortest distance” for power to return to the North after 2027. Fayose’s support for Tinubu, his kinsman, stems from their longstanding relationship, which he maintained even as a sitting PDP governor.
The PDP’s internal turmoil has sparked debate among loyalists, with some acknowledging the need for introspection while others accuse Fayose of fuelling division. The defection of figures like former Ekiti Deputy Governor Professor Kolapo Olusola-Eleka, who cited the party’s failure to provide credible opposition, underscores the challenges ahead. As the 2027 elections loom, Fayose’s remarks highlight the urgent need for the PDP to address its leadership crisis and rebuild its fractured base to remain a formidable force in Nigerian politics.