Fayose: PDP Is Carcass, Tinubu Will Win Again in 2027

Sunday Ehigiator 

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is no longer a viable political force, describing it as a “carcass” that will not survive the 2027 general elections. 

In an interview yesterday with a national televisin, Fayose said the PDP has lost its structure, its spirit, and key stakeholders, making it too weak to compete seriously.

According to him, I would rather celebrate my 65th birthday on November 15 than attend any PDP convention,” he stated. “The party is in a very weak state. PDP is just a body without a soul.”

Fayose insisted he remains a PDP member but said his loyalty lies more with performance and good governance than blind party allegiance.

He said he would never join the All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party, or any other party, but stressed that he supports APC’s Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, “because the man is doing well.”

“All the former governors; Governor Fayemi, Governor Adebayo, and I; are behind Oyebanji. That’s never happened before in the history of our state. We’re united for the good of Ekiti,” he said.

Fayose openly threw his support behind President Tinubu, saying the President inherited a terrible economy from the Buhari administration and is doing his best under challenging circumstances.

“Nigeria is a sick country. It will take heaven to fix it overnight,” he said. “Tinubu inherited chaos. Even if I were President, I couldn’t have worked miracles in two years.”

He dismissed criticisms of the President’s performance, arguing that Nigerians are never satisfied with leadership and would criticise even the most righteous of figures.

“Even if Jesus or Allah were in charge of Nigeria, they’d still be abused. Nigerians only praise the dead. So let’s stop the hypocrisy,” he added.

Predicting the outcome of the 2027 elections, Fayose said confidently: “Tinubu will win in 2027. Write it down. APC will come first. Obi will come second. Labour and ADC have taken PDP apart, the party will come fourth.”

He also described Tinubu as a master strategist who “took over the whole South” and only needs “a little more” to dominate the country again in 2027.

Fayose also took aim at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who recently defected from the PDP to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), saying Atiku left because he knew he couldn’t clinch the PDP ticket again.

“Atiku knew the PDP was gone. I respect him for not fooling himself,” Fayose said. “The party is too fractured to stand. It’s broken into three, Labour, ADC, and what’s left of PDP.”

He reiterated his allegiance to the G5 group, which opposed Atiku’s 2023 candidacy. Fayose maintained that his relationship with members of the G5, especially former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, remains unbroken.

“Whenever you find Wike, you find me,” he said. “We took a position together and none of us has recanted. I am still part of the G5.”

When pressed on why he hasn’t formally defected from the PDP despite openly working against the party, Fayose said he remains a member but has been deeply hurt by the way the party treated him.

“I have paid my dues in PDP. I’ve been governor twice. But they keep undermining me in Ekiti. You don’t treat your loyal leaders that way,” he said.

He also revealed that more PDP leaders are set to jump ship, citing a message from Senator Biodun Olujimi who, according to him, will officially join APC and endorse Governor Oyebanji in Ekiti on Monday.

Despite growing criticism from within the party, Fayose remained unapologetic, saying his political realism is rooted in performance and impact, not party slogans.

“If someone is doing well, we don’t destroy him because he’s from another party. Politics shouldn’t be about tearing people down.”

Asked about the possibility of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, becoming the PDP’s presidential flag bearer for 2027, Fayose offered cautious support but said time would tell.

“Governor Makinde is my friend. If he becomes the flag bearer, fine. But elections are not won by sentiments. Nigerians will decide on that day,” he said.

Fayose also offered a scathing assessment of PDP’s internal dynamics, saying many of the party’s recent decisions, including moving the convention to Ibadan, were done for optics and to favour individuals, not for party rebuilding.

“Today, PDP is not in contention. It is shameful to even associate with the PDP. That’s the bitter truth,” he added.

When asked what he would say to the average Nigerian who once saw him as a grassroots politician, Fayose maintained that suffering in the country is real but said not all of it should be placed at Tinubu’s feet.

“Every state gets allocations. The President cannot be blamed for everything. If governors and local governments fail, that’s on them,” he said.

He ended with his characteristic candour: “Don’t honour me when I die. Honour me now while I live. Bring me chicken now so I can eat and bless you. Don’t bring flowers to my grave. It will be too late.”