Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Francis Ugwu
Published on 2024-01-26 11:54:51
Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former member of the Atiku Abubakar 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, has expressed his belief that the party does not need to consider a merger with other parties in preparation for the 2027 general elections. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, Pearse emphasized that the PDP is not in a state of decline but rather needs to focus on internal unity and organization in order to secure electoral victories.
Pearse dismissed the idea of a merger with other political parties, stating, “PDP cannot be running away. Let us forget merger. Are you talking about PDP merging with some of these political parties which do not have offices?” He urged the party to concentrate on internal restructuring and improvement, emphasizing that the PDP has the potential to succeed without merging with other parties.
Highlighting the PDP’s current position, Pearse pointed out, “We have 13 governors now, we have 40 per cent of the National Assembly. What do we need merger for and with who? What can merger bring to PDP?” He expressed confidence in the party’s ability to stand on its own and achieve success through its own efforts.
Addressing the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, Pearse attributed the party’s loss to President Bola Tinubu to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar’s failure to reconcile with key figures within the party, such as former Rivers governor Nyesom Wike. Pearse highlighted Atiku’s missed opportunity to leverage Wike’s influence and resources for the benefit of the party’s electoral campaign.
The interview with Pearse comes at a time when there have been discussions and proposals for opposition parties to consider merging ahead of the 2027 general election. However, Pearse’s stance reflects his belief that the PDP should focus on strengthening itself internally rather than seeking external alliances through mergers.
