The 2023 Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has declared that the party has lost faith in itself due to ongoing internal crises.
Speaking on Politics Today, a Channels Television program, on Tuesday, Jandor, who resigned from the PDP on Monday, described the party’s leadership crisis as a major source of embarrassment.
He referenced the growing criticisms against the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, who has been accused by party members of mishandling internal affairs since taking over from Iyorchia Ayu.
The crisis has further deepened due to a dispute over the National Secretary position, with both Senator Samuel Anyanwu and former National Youth Leader, Sunday Ude-Okoye, laying claim to the role. This ongoing struggle has widened cracks within the party’s key structures, including the Board of Trustees, the National Working Committee, and the National Executive Committee.
Jandor noted that the situation is particularly concerning in the South-South, where a zonal congress was held on February 22 without the consent of the region’s governors, further exacerbating internal tensions.
Describing the crisis at both the national and state levels as damaging to the PDP’s public image, Jandor questioned the party’s viability ahead of the next election cycle.
“Who goes around proudly identifying as a PDP member with all that is happening at both the national and state levels? The optics are bad,” he said.
“Even the party has given up on itself. A political party is made up of people who come together to form it—it doesn’t exist in isolation. If the same toxicity remains within that circle, the same problems will persist. Today, the party is controlled by those who worked against it. So where do we even begin? And we are heading into another election cycle.”
He warned that with congresses and primaries looming ahead of the 2027 elections, the PDP is still being managed by individuals who contributed to its past failures, making any hopes of a turnaround unrealistic.
“This is 2025. Congresses and other processes will begin soon. By 2026, there will be primary elections, yet the same individuals are still in charge of the party. And people expect a different outcome? No, it won’t happen.”
On his next political move, Jandor revealed that he has yet to decide which party to join but is currently consulting.
“There are 18 political parties in Nigeria, so there are 17 other options. But we can’t just jump in—we will consult and evaluate our options. There are ongoing coalitions, people coming together to form alliances, so I truly don’t know where I’m headed yet, but discussions are ongoing,” he stated.
Jandor’s exit is yet another blow to the PDP, which has been struggling with internal discord and leadership tussles since its defeat in the 2023 general elections.
