According to a report by The Nation on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, Professor Okey Ikechukwu, the Executive Director of Development SPECS Academy, has stated that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) must move quickly to present candidates if it intends to participate in the 2027 elections.
He indicated that the party risks being left out of the political contest if it fails to organise itself and put forward candidates ahead of the electoral process expected to take place across the country.
Ikechukwu made the remarks during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday while addressing issues concerning the future of the PDP and the wider condition of opposition politics in Nigeria.
The discussion focused on the internal state of the party and the role it may play as the country moves closer to another electoral cycle.
During the interview, attention was also directed to the position of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, who had earlier taken the stance that the PDP would not present a presidential candidate in the next election.
The statement from Wike formed part of the broader debate about whether the party still has the organisational strength and unity required to compete effectively in future elections.
Ikechukwu noted that the developments surrounding the PDP in recent years point to deep internal problems that have continued to affect the party’s structure and political influence.
He explained that the party’s actions during and after the last general elections reflected weaknesses that have remained unresolved for a prolonged period.
According to him, the situation surrounding the party’s conduct in Port Harcourt during the previous elections highlighted internal issues that contributed to the perception that the party was struggling to maintain cohesion and discipline among its members.
“There’s nothing surprising in that. Already, the PDP showed it’s not a serious party during the last elections to have Nyesom Wike completely bury it in Port Harcourt. And after the election, Wike was not suspended. Since after that, which is going into three years now”, he said. See More