A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adetokunbo Pearse, has said the party remains a strong opposition platform despite the internal challenges currently affecting it.
Pearse spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) while reacting to the recent Appeal Court ruling that invalidated the outcome of the PDP’s 2025 national convention held in Ibadan.
The court decision has intensified the leadership dispute within the party and contributed to divisions among party stakeholders.
The situation has also been linked to the defection of some governors as well as federal and state lawmakers to other political parties.
Pearse, who served on the 2023 presidential campaign committee of Atiku Abubakar and is convener of the Reset Lagos PDP group, said the challenges facing the party were not as severe as widely portrayed.
He stated that many Nigerians still regard the PDP as the main opposition platform in the country.
According to him, “What is happening to the PDP is not as disastrous as many people think. People in their minds are still with the party as the main opposition party.”
Pearse added that the party remains a significant political force despite the loss of some elected officials to other parties.
“The loss of some governors and lawmakers to the ruling party and other political parties does not show we are finished at all,” he said.
He also said the party’s core supporters had remained loyal despite the defections.
“Our core members are not following these defectors to the parties they have moved to. They are still with us,” he said.
Pearse further urged a factional caretaker National Working Committee loyal to Nyesom Wike to allow the party leadership time to resolve the crisis.
He expressed confidence that the Kabiru Turaki-led PDP National Working Committee would obtain justice at the Supreme Court regarding the leadership dispute.
Pearse also rejected calls for another national convention to elect party executives following the Appeal Court ruling, stating that the convention held on Nov. 16, 2025, in Ibadan represented the collective will of the party.
