PDP And The Ekiti Question: A Party At The Crossroads

The judgement of the Federal High Court nullifying the last PDP governorship primary in Ekiti should be more than a legal setback. It should serve as a loud warning.

The PDP is on the edge of losing Ekiti, not because it lacks popular support, but because it has failed, repeatedly, to build and deploy an effective internal crisis-resolution mechanism.

For a party that prides itself on experience and structure, it is troubling that internal disagreements are allowed to fester until they are settled by the courts. This is not strength; it is institutional weakness.

If this trend continues, history will not be kind to those currently entrusted with leadership of the party in the South West. They will be remembered, not for rebuilding the PDP, but for presiding over avoidable damage to its fortunes.

The reality is simple. If a fresh primary is conducted and Dr Wole Oluyede emerges again, there is no guarantee that supporters of Funsho Ayeni will fully mobilise for him. The reverse is also true. A divided PDP cannot win a governorship election in Ekiti, no matter how unpopular the ruling party may be.

This is why the party must think beyond ego and faction. PDP leaders should urgently explore a consensus option that prioritises unity, stability, and electability.

The party must resolve to embrace a candidate that has displayed clear examples of restraint, loyalty, and a willingness to sacrifice personal ambition for the survival of the party. The PDP needs a natural unifying force at a time when the PDP needs healing, not further strain.

Ekiti is too important to be lost on the altar of unresolved internal conflicts. The PDP must choose unity now, or risk collective regret tomorrow.