The Peoples Democratic Party has once again stepped into familiar territory, a terrain where internal battles resemble a family feud carried out in the public square. With the expulsion of Nyesom Wike, Ayodele Fayose, Samuel Anyanwu and several other high profile members, the party has signalled that it is ready to draw a clear line in the sand. Yet beneath the surface of these expulsions lies a deeper question that must be asked without blinking. Is the PDP healing itself or simply trimming branches while leaving the roots of its crisis untouched?
The development, announced right in the heart of the party’s elective convention in Ibadan, suggests a party attempting to show strength. The leadership adopted a motion accusing the expelled members of anti party activities. While that sounds decisive, it also raises the old concern about whether the PDP understands that a house divided against itself cannot withstand the storm for long.
The removal of Mohammed Abdulrahman, the factional chairman allied with Wike, further paints a picture of a party trying to steady its ship by jettisoning anyone perceived as rocking the boat. However, the PDP must be reminded that even a ship tossed overboard by strong currents does not become stable simply by throwing people into the water. A crisis of ideology and structure cannot be fixed by dramatic announcements.
The expulsion of Wike’s allies who had challenged the convention in court also exposes an uncomfortable truth. The PDP appears to be fighting judicial scrutiny rather than welcoming it. These individuals insisted that state congresses were not conducted in line with the party’s constitution. Instead of addressing the substance of the allegation, the party opted to silence the whistleblowers. When a political organisation becomes allergic to internal criticism, it begins to choke on its own contradictions.
Posting the expulsion notice on the party’s official X handle added a modern twist to an age old problem. It was akin to announcing family matters through a megaphone in the village square. The PDP has once again aired its linen before the entire nation, even though it has yet to learn how to wash it properly. Public drama may make headlines, but it rarely repairs broken trust within a party already struggling for cohesion.
The inclusion of senior figures such as Umaru Bature, Kamaldeen Ajibade, Mao Ohuabunwa and Chief Dan Orbih shows that this purge was not merely symbolic. The party is clearly determined to prune its tree, but the question is whether it understands that pruning without nurturing results in a tree that barely survives. Discipline must walk hand in hand with internal reform; otherwise, the party risks creating a graveyard of loyalists while leaving its foundational cracks untouched.
In the heat of this political storm, one must also consider the optics. The PDP has now expelled two former governors, a sitting minister, influential zonal leaders and members of its national working committee. If the objective is to demonstrate firmness, then the party has achieved its goal. Yet firmness without fairness becomes a sword that wounds both friend and foe. The party must remember that justice is not only about punishing wrongdoers but also about ensuring that rules are applied consistently.
Another troubling angle is the timing. Carrying out mass expulsions in the middle of a convention gives the impression of a party more committed to theatrics than introspection. It is like a cook attempting to prepare a meal while the kitchen is on fire. Instead of calming nerves and strengthening unity, such actions only deepen suspicion and widen existing cracks.
The PDP is no stranger to internal battles. For years, it has danced in circles, fighting old ghosts while creating new ones. Each crisis leaves scars that are yet to heal before the next one erupts. A political organisation that once boasted nationwide dominance has found itself wrestling with internal shadows. Unless it confronts the root causes of its divisions, the PDP risks becoming a tree that loses branches faster than it grows new ones.
If the party truly wants to reclaim its relevance on the national stage, it must begin by rebuilding trust among its members. Expulsion may clear the room, but it does not clear the air. The PDP needs soul searching, not scapegoats. It needs reconciliation, not retaliation. It needs transparency, not sudden midnight decisions masquerading as discipline.
What Nigeria expects from the PDP is not another round of internal score settling but a credible opposition that can present ideas strong enough to challenge the current state of governance. A party that cannot govern its own house will struggle to convince citizens that it can govern a nation.
The recent expulsions may offer temporary relief to a leadership eager to assert control, but the long term consequences may become a bitter pill. If the PDP continues to treat internal disputes as battles that must be won rather than problems that must be solved, it may soon find itself standing alone in a field of self inflicted wounds.
In the end, the PDP must ask itself a simple question. Is it building a future or merely burning bridges? The answer will determine whether the party rises from its current turmoil or sinks under the weight of its own decisions.
Stanley Ugagbe can be reached via stanleyakomeno@gmail.com
