After Meeting With Obasanjo, Other PDP Leaders, Turaki Says Sacking APC Possible

Chuks Okocha in Abuja and James Sowole in Abeokuta

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Kabiru Turaki (SAN), has stated that the task of sacking the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), from Aso Rock in 2027 is possible due to the incompetence of the ruling party, adding, however, that it won’t be a tea party.

Addressing journalists yesterday after a 40-minute closed-door meeting of PDP leaders with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, Turaki stated that the frank discussion between the opposition party leaders and the former president has further inspired them that the task ahead is not impossible.Turaki led the party’s newly elected National Working Committee (NWC) on a visit to Obasanjo to secure his critical support and guidance ahead of the party’s task.

He described Obasanjo as a highly experienced elder statesman and former president under the PDP administration, whose legacy of building strong institutions has significantly strengthened democratic development in the country.Explaining the purpose of the visit, Turaki said the opposition party’s new leadership thought it wise to visit Obasanjo to draw on his wealth of wisdom and seek his blessings and support for the success of the party’s new leaders.

In the entourage of the new PDP leadership were the Chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) and former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara; the National Secretary and former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja; two former governors of Niger and Plateau States, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu; and Senator Jonah Jang, respectively.“As the newly elected PDP leadership during our recent congress at Ibadan, we came to introduce ourselves to our father, the former president under the PDP administration, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,” Turaki said.Continuing, Turaki added: “We came to thank the former president for his vision and contributions to strengthening our democracy and good governance while he was in power. We came to thank him for helping build strong institutions that the country continues to enjoy to this day.

“We have also come to see the former president to draw inspiration from him as an oracle; we have come to get guidance; we have come to get advice; we have equally come to get critical support because if we must succeed in the gargantuan assignment that has been thrust upon our shoulders, then we must come to people like Chief Obasanjo who have the prerequisite experience.“There is a proverb that says that a woman who started cooking before you must definitely have more broken pots. We have come to see our father here in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, and we have spoken to Baba, and Baba has spoken to us as well; we are enriched.“We have also realised more than ever before now that yes, the task before us may not be an easy one, but from the inspiration and guidance that we have received from Baba today, we are more than ready to go all the way and take PDP back to the seat of power come 2027,” Turaki explained.

He stated that PDP is battle-ready for 2027, adding that this would be more evident when the party wins the upcoming gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun states.“PDP is battle-ready for 2027, and as our mark of readiness, we shall take over Ekiti State and then follow up with Osun State.“By the time we win these two states, we shall leave no one in doubt that PDP, once again, is on the move, PDP is on the rise to chase out the APC government with all its incompetence and maladministration in 2027”.Addressing the teeming party members later at the state party secretariat, Turaki urged PDP members globally to support the party’s new leadership, saying the era of impunity and shenanigans is over.

He said that “the truth is that PDP is back and is on the rise to take its rightful place in the democratic process of the country.“The Nigerians could see that since our convention held in Ibadan, the APC is now worried more than ever before; they know that the equation has changed and that PDP is ready to send them packing in 2027,” he added.The National Secretary of the party, Arapaja, and the BoT Chairman, Wabara, in their separate addresses, also urged the party members to remain united and begin massive mobilization.

Speaking with journalists at the event, the party’s state chairman, Abayomi Tella, said party members were pleased to be the first state to receive the party’s leadership after their election in Ibadan about three weeks ago.Tella said, “We are all very happy, our hope is rekindled, now we know that the end has come to all the shenanigans of the past in the party, it is a new dawn, and we are all happy”.