The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to resist any form of intimidation or manipulation in the upcoming 2027 elections, following concerns raised over last weekend’s by-election process.
The party reaffirmed the sanctity of its national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16 in Ibadan, Oyo State, dismissing rumours about parallel conventions as unfounded.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, addressed journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, condemning what he described as “unlawful arrests” and harassment of PDP members ahead of the recent by-elections held across 16 constituencies in 12 states. According to him, such actions were designed to pave the way for opposition victories.
“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 stated.
Ologunagba warned that attempts to replicate such manipulations in 2027 would be futile, emphasising that Nigerians are increasingly aware of the political climate shaped by hunger, insecurity, and economic hardship.
“Only last week, in my little village, the chairman of my party was kidnapped. Now it is so sad that when people get kidnapped in this country, you don’t even talk to the police. They say, go and look for the money. It sounds like a new normal,” he lamented.
He added, “The Nigerian people will defeat them because they brought hunger to this country. For more than 10 years now, APC has been a point of pain for Nigeria.”
Regarding the upcoming national convention, Ologunagba dismissed speculation about rival gatherings, explaining, “We cannot be aware of a non-existing thing… The process has started, and we have been in sync with our regulator, INEC. They are witnesses to all the things we’re doing.”
He reassured that planning and preparations for the Ibadan event are well underway, describing the campaign against the convention as mere “media hype” and “conjecture.”
