In a blistering response to recent political predictions, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) “dead” and asserted that the ruling party is on track for a sweeping victory in the 2027 general elections.
Ganduje’s rebuttal follows comments made by former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who claimed that the APC would soon disintegrate, prompting former PDP members like Ganduje to return to the opposition party. Lamido, a prominent PDP chieftain, forecasted that defections would reverse within six months due to internal contradictions in the APC, describing the party as a fragile coalition of incompatible interests.
“I’m confident that all those who left the PDP will return, including Ganduje, because very soon, the APC will burst and split into factions,” Lamido said. “The PDP will rise with full force to wrest power in 2027.”
However, Ganduje swiftly dismissed the remarks as baseless and politically motivated. In a strongly worded statement issued by his Press Secretary, Edwin Olofu, on Monday in Abuja, the former Kano State governor asserted that rather than defecting, it is Lamido who may soon find himself migrating to the APC due to the PDP’s growing irrelevance.
“Instead of me returning to the PDP, Lamido should prepare to join the APC because the PDP is on the verge of extinction,” Ganduje said. “The internal crises rocking the party will make it obsolete by the end of 2025. Under the focused leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC continues to gain momentum, attracting key political players from across the country.”
He continued, “With this wave of national support, our party is consolidating its gains and preparing for a resounding victory in 2027. We remain committed to deepening internal democracy and delivering good governance to Nigerians.”
Ganduje, who played a pivotal role in the 2023 election that saw the emergence of Tinubu as president, said there is no logic in returning to a party, “that has failed Nigerians in its 16 years of misrule and continues to suffer leadership disarray and public disillusionment.”
Political analysts see the war of words between Ganduje and Lamido as part of the larger battle for political relevance ahead of the 2027 elections, especially as both parties jostle to consolidate structures and influence.
The PDP, which ruled Nigeria from 1999 to 2015, has struggled to regain its footing since losing the presidency. Internal leadership tussles, state-level defections, and strategic confusion have continued to plague the party, while the APC has capitalized on these weaknesses to grow its base, especially in the North-West and South-West regions.
Recently, several notable PDP figures have either remained inactive or crossed over to the ruling party, further shrinking the opposition’s clout. The APC, on the other hand, has been vocal about expanding its national reach, targeting strategic alliances and grassroots mobilization.
Ganduje’s assertion that the PDP may “go extinct” by the end of 2025 underscores APC’s confidence in its current political trajectory. The party has already begun positioning its top strategists and structures to dominate the 2027 contest.
Meanwhile, Lamido, a staunch critic of the Tinubu-led administration, has continued to rally for a PDP resurgence. His remarks appear aimed at energizing the opposition base and keeping the ruling party in check.
As 2027 approaches, the stage is set for a fierce political battle between two historical rivals—one struggling for survival, the other proclaiming dominance.