James Adams in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed that its elective national convention scheduled for 15 and 16 November in Ibadan, Oyo State, will proceed as planned, dismissing rumours of a parallel event as mere “fantasy” and “hallucination”.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, made the declaration on Tuesday during a press briefing with journalists in Abuja, where he also addressed the party’s concerns over recent by-elections.
Mr Ologunagba firmly rejected speculation about a rival convention, emphasising the party’s strict adherence to its constitutional processes. “We cannot be aware of a non-existing thing,” he stated, describing the reports as “media hype” and “people testing the waters”.
He confirmed that all arrangements were well advanced, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fully involved. “INEC has been attending all the meetings. They are witnesses to all the things we’re doing,” he said.
Assuring members of the convention’s certainty, he added, “The local organising committee is working hard. The venue committee is already working ahead of time… This train has moved on. It’s gone past the bus stop. We’re actually in Ibadan, as I speak.”
In the same briefing, Mr Ologunagba criticised the conduct of last Saturday’s by-elections, alleging widespread intimidation of PDP members. “In the night to that election, all members of the PDP, prominent members, were arrested. Flip over to Taraba State. Prominent members, including elected members of our party, were arrested,” he claimed.
He issued a strong warning that the party would not accept similar interference in the 2027 general elections. “We’ve heard about the arrogance of the APC. What they’ve done with those elections attests to what they want to do in 2027. But I have bad news for APC. What happened in those by-elections… will not happen in 2027.”
Mr Ologunagba asserted that prevailing economic hardships would drive the outcome of the next general election. “What will be on the ballot in 2027 will be the hunger, the uncertainty, and the insecurity that no money can purchase… Nigerian people will defeat them because they brought hunger to this country.”
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