Emmanuel Ogidi, the caretaker national vice-chairman (South-South) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says the party is focused on rebuilding unity and forging wide alliances to secure Nigeria’s democracy in 2027.

In an interview with journalists on Sunday, Mr Ogidi said the party was determined to defend democracy and reposition itself as a strong opposition party ahead of the upcoming elections.

The PDP chieftain, who acknowledged that the party was currently facing little internal challenges, said its mission to safeguard democratic governance in the country would not be derailed.

He further stated that the party knew the gravity of the current political situation and was determined not to disappoint Nigerians who looked up to it as a stabilising force.

“Yes, today we have some pockets of trouble in the PDP, but we are resolute, and we believe in God because we know that we are the only viable opposition.

“We are going to fight for that cause; we will do whatever it takes to ensure that we have democracy; if we do not have democracy, then we will have a banana republic.

“We understand this part, and because of that, we will not disappoint the people; we want to do whatever it takes, and we are determined.

“We are going to reach out to anybody reachable in the other political parties, including the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“We want to see what we can take away from these parties; else, this country will face more serious challenges,” he said.

Mr Ogidi said the PDP’s priority in 2027 would be the protection of democracy, national unity, and provision of a credible alternative to the ruling party.

He claimed that APC was built to win the election, not for governance, questioning why the party, in less than two years, had concentrated more on campaigning than on governance.

Mr Ogidi said that weakening democratic institutions can push the country towards instability and assured that the PDP will do all within its power to prevent such a scenario.

(NAN)