A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and former member, Atiku Abubakar 2023 Presidential Campaign Council, Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, has ruled out the possibility of the main opposition party merging with other political parties in 2027.
Pearse, who made this known while speaking during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos, on Friday, said the party does not need any merger ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to the party chieftain, the PDP is not dead but only needed to close ranks and put its house to win elections.
Some politicians and analysts across the country, have been advocating a merger of opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general election, to defeat the APC and Tinubu.
Reacting during the interview, Pearse said “PDP cannot be running away. Let us forget the merger. Are you talking about PDP merging with some of these political parties which do not have offices?
“We should look inward, reposition ourselves and improve the party, that is what we need to do.
“PDP is not finished if we do the right thing. President Tinubu will be gone in 2027 if we do the right thing.”
While maintaining further that there is no party PDP can merge with, he said, “PDP needs to stand on its own and build what it has. If we build what we have we will defeat anybody.
“We have 13 governors now, we have 40 per cent of the National Assembly. What do we need a merger for and with whom? What can merger bring to PDP?”
Pearse who also reflected On the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, said PDP’s candidate, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku’s failure to reconcile with ex-Rivers governor, Nyesom Wike, and others, paved the way for President Bola Tinubu to win the election.
“It was Atiku who failed to do his job. He didn’t do what he needed to do. He should not have fought against Wike, even if he didn’t want to use him as his vice, he could have promised to make him minister of petroleum.
“Wike will do the work and release money to prosecute the election and ensure victory for the party. He didn’t do it,” he said.