Lafia, Nasarawa State – Internal tensions are boiling over within the Nasarawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a powerful faction of party stakeholders has rejected the imposition of consensus candidates for the 2027 general elections, accusing the leadership of sidelining democratic processes and grassroots consultation.
In a strongly worded communiqué issued after an emergency meeting in Lafia, the group, made up of former aspirants, youth leaders, and local government party executives, described the consensus arrangement as “undemocratic, prearranged, and dangerous for the future of the PDP in Nasarawa.”
“We reject in totality the attempt to impose candidates on us under the guise of consensus,” the statement read. “This party belongs to the people, and the people must be allowed to choose their leaders through fair, transparent primaries—not political coronation.”
The outcry is believed to be directed at recent moves by the state PDP leadership to announce certain individuals as “consensus candidates” for key positions ahead of the party’s primaries, including gubernatorial and senatorial seats.
Party insiders say the move is part of a broader strategy to consolidate power around a handful of political heavyweights loyal to the state PDP chairman and a former governor. However, dissenting voices within the party are now warning that such tactics could lead to a repeat of the PDP’s poor showing in the last two election cycles in the state.
“This is how we lost in 2019 and again in 2023,” lamented a senior ward chairman who asked not to be named. “If we allow this again in 2027, we might as well hand Nasarawa back to the APC on a silver platter.”
The development has sparked heated debate within party ranks, with youth groups and women’s wings threatening to mobilize protests and petitions if the state leadership does not reverse course and allow for open primaries.
Responding to the criticism, a spokesperson for the state PDP executive defended the consensus move as a “unifying strategy” meant to reduce intra-party conflict and present a stronger front in the 2027 elections. “Consensus does not mean imposition. It is a constitutional mechanism when used with integrity and collective agreement,” the official said.
Despite these assurances, the opposition within the party appears to be gaining momentum, with several prominent figures, including former state lawmakers and local council leaders, aligning with the anti-consensus movement.
Political observers say the crisis could deepen if the national leadership of the PDP fails to intervene decisively.
As Nasarawa emerges as a key battleground in the 2027 electoral map, the PDP’s internal fracture may either mark a rebirth of participatory politics within the party—or its further slide into disunity and electoral irrelevance.
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