The PDP has consistently criticised the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was elected and sworn in on May 29, 2015, and re-elected for a second term in 2019.
While the candidate of the then ruling PDP, President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat even before the final announcement of the official results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2015, his party has consistently bashed the policies and programmes of the APC-led government.
The PDP has been engaging the present administration on issues of national security, economy and corruption.
The party is also using the issue of restructuring the country as a campaign tool, as well as the spate of killings, poverty, hunger, unemployment and alleged corruption in the land against the APC.
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Published 30 January 2021
Amid the rush to enlist new party members, JOHN ALECHENU examines the renewed battle between the governing All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the 2023 general elections
The ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition People’s Democratic Party are set to use their fresh membership registration to enlist new members ahead of the 2023 general elections.
The development seems to have renewed the old rivalry between the two leading parties which are now jostling to gain the attention of the voting public.
While the APC’s new membership/revalidation exercise begins this week, that of the PDP will start within the next one or two months.
The dissolution of the Adams Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NWC) and the inauguration of the Governor Mai Mala Buni-led interim committee on June 25, 2020, gave hope to the party as it was mandated to reconcile all aggrieved members, embark on membership drive and organise a national convention within six months.
But the committee’s tenure was extended by the National Executive Committee (NEC) on December 8, 2020, by another six months to enable it to accomplish its mandate.
The committee, on assumption of office hit the ground running by commencing the process of reconciliation nationwide and recorded significant milestones in the process.
On August 23, 2020, the Buni committee summoned the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, to the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, where they were reconciled and asked to work together for the party.