Below are excerpts of our interaction.
Dailydigest. Political pundits believe the PDP is in a critical leadership state, what are the chances of the party in 2027?
Pearse. "Political pundits who think that there is a leadership problem in the PDP are badly mistaken. The Leadership positions at all levels of the party are intact. Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar is the Party's Presidential Candidate emeritus, Senator Wabara is the Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman, Governor Bala Mohamed of Bauchi State is Chairman of the PDP Governors Forum, and Ambassador Damagun is the Acting National Chairman of the Party".
"Some members are demanding that Damagun should resign his position to enable the North Central Geopolitical Zone to reoccupy the office which was vacated by Dr Iyorcha Ayu from Benue State. In a recent interview, Governor Bala Mohamed clarified the contentious matter of the Acting National Chairman by stating that as the PDP Constitution demands, the substantive National Chairman position will go back to the North Central Geopolitical Zone when we hold the next National Congress".
Dailydigest. Some stakeholders are of the view that the PDP should zone its presidential ticket to the South West is that a good move for the PDP?
Pearse. "Contrary to popular opinion, the PDP does not zone the Presidential ticket since nobody from any political zone is barred from participating in Party Primaries. What determines the zone of the President is the emergence of the National Chairman. For example, if the National Chairman whose election takes place before that of the President is from the North, that Chairman must step aside to be replaced by a Chairman from the South. In this way, the President and the National Chairman will come from the two parts of the country".
"From all indications, the National Chairman position will continue in the North and the Presidency will come from the South. If that happens the South West, the South South, and the South East will compete for the Presidency".
Dailydigest. Governor Seyi Makinde is touted in some quarters as the likely candidate of the PDP in 2027 presidential race, what is your take?
Pearse "Yes, Governor Seyi Makinde is perceived by many as the likely Presidential candidate of the PDP in 2027. I think this perception is driven by Makinde's sterling performance as the Executive governor of Oyo State, his amiable character, and his commitment to democracy and the rule of law. He runs an inclusive administration. I am told they call him " Seyi the Beloved"
"If Makinde wins the PDP Presidential Primaries and comes out as the Party's candidate he will become Nigeria's president in 2027."
Dailydigest.What would you recommend as the way forward?
Pearse "Nigeria needs a change of direction from the apocalyptic government of the APC. No political party is perfect, but compared to the All Progressives Congress, the Peoples Democratic Party is a gem. Consider the facts; Obasanjo paid off Nigeria's external debt and strengthened the economy. Yar'adua brought peace to the tumultuous Niger Delta area, reducing the level of distrust among Nigerians, and under Jonathan, Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) surpassed that of South Africa for the first time in history. Also, human rights abuse was at an all-time low in the 16 years of PDP in government".
"In comparison, Buhari damaged the country's economy, condoned terrorists, and took ethnocentrism to the highest level. And Tinubu, the man who succeeded him is proving to be all Buhari was and worse. The End Bad Governance protests around the country is a clear rejection of the APC government. Under the circumstances, it seems obvious that the only way All Progressives Congress and Tinubu can win in 2027 is to rig the election".
'If Makinde wins the PDP primaries, I truly believe he will go on to win the 2027 election and become the President to rescue Nigeria from the devastating misrule of Tinubu and his calamitous APC administration "
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