Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse is a public affairs analyst and convener of Reset Lagos PDP. He served as a member of the PDP National Presidential Campaign Council in 2023 and sits on the Board of Governors of the Peoples Democratic Institute. In this interview with ’TANA AIYEJINA, he speaks on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s resignation from the PDP, the 2027 elections, Lagos politics, and the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration

Is former Vice President Abubakar Atiku’s resignation from the PDP to join the African Democratic Congress coalition a blessing or curse for the Peoples Democratic Party?

The resignation of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar from the PDP is unfortunate. His insistence of running for President again, after getting the ticket in 2019 and 2023 , and despite the zoning of the Presidency to the South makes him  an unreasonable man. He will miss the PDP more than the PDP will miss him.

Internal wrangling has contrived to weaken the PDP leading to mass defections from the party. With this scenario, do you think the party poses any threat in 2027 election?

With its successful National Executive committee meetings of May 27, 2025 and April 23, 2025, PDP has demonstrated its resilience. No more internal wrangling. There are no more mass defections from PDP. More people are leaving the APC to ADC than they are leaving the PDP to APC or ADC. While the PDP is getting stronger, the APC is getting weaker as it is confronted with its own challenges. By the time we conduct our National Convention to elect a substantive National Chairman, it will become obvious to everyone that the PDP is the strongest democratic party in Nigeria. The APC will come a distant second to the PDP in 2027.

The ADC coalition has suddenly sprung to life and has changed the political dynamics ahead of the 2027 poll. You think the party can give the APC a run for their money?

As of today, the ADC coalition is non-existent. Atiku, Mark, Elrufai, and Amechi and Aregbesola are not yet members of the Party. Many of the original officers of the party have denied them membership. Very likely, the ADC will be tied up in litigation for a long time. I’m any case the ADC has no real presence in the community; no structure. Only the PDP can challenge and defeat the APC in 2027.

How would you describe the two years of President Bola Tinubu’s reign?

It’s a monumental failure. Since 2023, the rate of unemployment has risen. Poverty has risen. The rate of inflation has gone from 18 per cent to 35 per cent. The naira has dropped in value from N145 to the dollar to N1,500 to the dollar. The national debt has ballooned, yet President Bola Tinubu keeps borrowing. Security has been extremely derided. The level of banditry, kidnapping, ethnic conflicts, extrajudicial killings, and terrorism has risen to such an extent that the Financial Times of London warned last year that due to its unchecked rate of insecurity, Nigeria is drifting to the level of a ‘Failed State.’ Tinubu’s policies and attitude to governance has created an environment of distrust among northern and southern Nigerians like never since the 1967 to 1970 Civil War.

 Since the country’s return to democracy in 1999, the PDP has never posed a strong opposition to the ruling party in Lagos. What will you say is the cause of this?

It is incorrect to say that the PDP has not posed a strong opposition to the APC. In 1999 , 2003 and 2015 ,the PDP came a close second in Lagos. Although the assassination of Funso Williams, the PDP governorship candidate in 2006 set the party back, subsequent candidates scored an average of 35 per cent in the race for Governor of Lagos State. However, the fact that the PDP has never produced a governor , a powerful and financially buoyant leader in Lagos State has made it difficult to take control of the state in a meaningful way.

 Are there efforts to reform or restructure the Lagos PDP at the ward, LG and state level?

At the ward, LGA and state, the structure of the PDP is as strong, if not stronger than that of the APC in Lagos State. The challenge facing the PDP in Lagos has to do with the voter apathy caused by the belief that the people’s votes don’t count. Also, the Igbo vote is crucial to the PDP, and yet in every election APC operatives harass, threaten and prevent our key Igbo voters from exercising their democratic rights.

How is the party dealing with defections and perceived apathy among its grassroots supporters?