The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), once a major force in Nigerian politics, is facing potential extinction ahead of the January general election. The party, which governed Nigeria for 16 years after military rule ended in 1999, is grappling with severe internal divisions and a wave of defections.
A key issue is a court-bound factional struggle over leadership. The faction led by Nyesom Wike, a prominent PDP member now serving in President Bola Tinubu's APC-led government, has been recognised as the legitimate party. This has allowed it to submit its slate of presidential and parliamentary candidates to the electoral commission, leaving a rival faction without representation on the ballot.
The party's decline intensified in 2015 when it lost the presidential vote to the All Progressives Congress (APC). By 2025, the PDP experienced a significant wave of defections, including five state governors switching allegiance to the APC. Earlier this year, the party held three states, but this number has now fallen to zero, with the Oyo governorship lost last month.
Political analyst Ishaq Buhari stated that the party struggled with being in opposition after being accustomed to power. Despite the current disarray, some loyalists, such as politician Aminu Adamu, remain optimistic about a potential return to prominence by 2032 if internal issues are resolved.