August 11, (THEWILL) — Rising from a meeting last week, the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee, NWC, warned its members not to endorse President Bola Tinubu for a second term in office.
For a party that has just found its voice after overcoming a prolonged crisis, the PDP planned its national convention for Ibadan, the Oyo State capital in November, the warning signals another chapter for the party, with the proposed return of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate in 2027.
As a deliberate strategy to manage the newfound calm in the party, the NWC, stopped short of naming those party members who have endorsed the President so far, though it stated that their anti-party activities was beginning to “impact negatively on the PDP, leading to division, disaffection and heavy haemorrhaging of members with the capacity to diminish our party’s electoral fortune if not immediately checked.”
Yet the number of PDP members endorsing the President continues to rise. In fact, the latest endorsement happened in Ogun State on August 4, 2025, five days before the NCW issued the directive. On that day, the party’s candidate in the 2023 governorship election in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu re-enacted his earlier endorsement of President Tinubu.
The State party chairman, Abayomi Tella, disclosed Adebutu’s stand in Sagamu, at the official campaign flag-off and inauguration of the campaign council for Bolarinwa Oluwole, the PDP candidate for Remo Federal Constituency by-election.
“We will support President Bola Tinubu. Although he is in the opposition, let us support our own from the Southwest. Our support is for Tinubu and we will stand by him. We are ready to give him our votes. The whole of the Southwest will give him our votes. We are going to support him. We will give him our votes. All we want in that election is fairness and justice,” Tella said, brushing off questions from journalists about the implication of the endorsement for the party whose members have been defecting to the governing APC.
Before Tella and Adebutu, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State and the PDP state chapter have both endorsed Tinubu for a second term. The party even lost three of its Senators who defected to the APC several months ago.
In the same vein, other leaders in the PDP have followed suit. They include Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, former governor of Ekiti State on the party’s platform, Ayo Fayose as well as a former Osun governor and former National Secretary of the PDP, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who has also spoken in support of President Tinubu’s re-election.
According to PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the wave of endorsements was an affront on the party.
“The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reviewed the anti-party activities of certain members of the party, particularly those endorsing President Tinubu for re-election in 2027.” He said, adding, “Of serious concern is the persistent public media outbursts against our party by some prominent members whose actions and utterances, including their public declaration of support and willingness to work for the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 Presidential Election, in violation of the provision of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), constitute a serious threat to the stability and sustenance of our party.”
“Specifically, Section 10 (6) of the PDP Constitution provides that ‘NO MEMBER of the Party SHALL align with other parties or groups to undermine the party or any of its elected government’.
“In the light of the foregoing and the instance of protecting and preserving the existence of our Party and its electoral fortune, the NWC, pursuant to the provisions of Section 59 (1) of the PDP Constitution hereby issues a strong reprimand against such anti-party activities and cautions those involved to retrace their steps or face stiffer sanctions as provided in the PDP Constitution.
“The NWC charges all members of the Party to remain loyal, focused and continue to work assiduously towards the successful conduct of the PDP National Convention scheduled to hold on the 15th and 16th November, 2025 in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.”
THEWILL gathered that many of the endorsements are survival strategies adopted by the endorsers to retain their positions. In this light, the upcoming bye-election in Ogun State and the 2026 governorship election in Osun State may expose the candidates to unusual political intrigues and schemes that would scuttle their ambition.
In the case of Governor Adeleke whose plan to defect to APC was frustrated by the party’s stakeholders, the endorsement of President Tinubu ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state at a time electioneering for the presidency would have kicked off, is a tactical move to win his re-election.
Reacting to the PDP NCW directive at the weekend, former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido said it was time the party sanctioned erring members for anti-party activities.
“All those erring members, the Wikes, the Ortoms, the Ikpeazus and others, who openly campaigned against the PDP in the 2023 general election and who say that they are going to work for APC in 2027, should be sacked from the party,” he said, adding that the problem has been allowed to linger for too long to spare any violators.
“From way back after the primaries of 2022, leading to the 2023 general election, there are people who, because of their own interest and ambition, felt aggrieved about what transpired in the party’s convention and what they felt was not being able to address their interests as individuals at the elections.
“I believe in one President. I believe in turn by turn. When it’s your turn, I will support you. When it’s not your turn, step back—so that the country can move forward.”
For Lamido, former Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, former Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, and other PDP members who have continued to openly engage in anti-party activities like the trio did when they worked against the party during the 2023 general election, should be expelled.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
