2027: Oruruo, And Herculean Task Of Re-fixing PDP’s Shattered Umbrella In Enugu

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Articles/Opinion, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Friday, March 6th, 2026

((AFRICAN EXAMINER) – As the clock of the 2027 General elections in Nigeria ticks, the opposition political parties in the country, including the once vibrant and dominant people’s Democratic party PDP are seriously mapping out plans and strategies aimed at unseating the ruling All progressives Congress APC both at the federal and state levels.

Determined in ensuring that their dream of sending the president Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led APC federal government packing from the Aso Rock presidential villa Abuja is realized, some notable aggrieved Stalwarts of various political parties, including Ex-Senate president, Senator David Mark of the PDP, and former Nigeria’s Vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, also of the PDP, have gone into Coalition Alliance under the platform of African Democratic party ADC.

Also in the opposition Coalition are, aggrieved former members of the ruling APC, such as former Rivers state governor and immediate past Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Ameachi ex Governor of Osun state and immediate past Minister of Interior, Rauf Arigboshola, former Edo state governor and one time national Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, including the 2023 presidential flag bearer of the Labour party LP, Mr. Peter Obi, amongst others.

Although, the PDP as a political party has not officially announced that it has pitch tent with the ADC coalition, but its National Working Committee NWC, has posited that members are free to make their own choices.

But for some of the top notchers of the PDP, such as its former National chairman and incumbent governor of Bauchi state, Senator Bala Mohammed, the party still have the capacity and structure to win the 2027 election without joining any coalition, despite the perceived internal wrangling within it’s fold.

Also, many political watchers sees the David Mark led ADC, as a marriage of convenience which may likely not work in the end, as the party is equally swimming in her own pool of crisis, and has been characterized with confusion since it came onboard.

Going by the current commotion in the ADC, many have expressed reservations over the party’s capability of steering the opposition ship to the expected destination.

Some Nigerian electorates have argued that the party may not stand the test of time, or have all it takes to change the narrative, since its is built on a fragile foundation and made up of politicians whose names are synonymous with inconsistency in the political space, such as Mr. Peter Obi, who is amongst those angling for it’s presidential ticket

The ADC’s internal leadership conflicts ahead of the 2027 remains a serious cog in her wheel of progress, especially as some key members are still questioning the legitimacy of the current leadership headed by Senator David Mark.

Some state chairmen of the party recently clashed with its national leadership over the announcement of congress dates.

To this end, the party’s struggles are seen as a challenge to its ability to effectively lead oppose against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 elections.

Another serious factor that may affect the Coalition is the task of picking her presidential candidate during it’s primary election as those seeking the ticket are mostly desperate and self centered political actors who do not believe in others. In other words, it’s either you hand over the ticket to them or, as usual, they dump the party and look elsewhere.

For instance, Obi was elected governor of Anambra state under the umbrella of the opposition All progressive Grand Alliance APGA, and later decamped to the PDP, where he ran as Atiku’s running mate in 2019.

After they lost the 2019 election, Obi defected to the Labour party LP, and flew it’s presidential flag in 2023, but decided to dump the party after president Tinubu defeated him in the poll.

As usual, the former Anambra state governor, has left the LP, and defected to the – crisis ridden ADC, with the hope of grabbing it’s presidential ticket in 2027. Only God knows what woul happen should the party deny him the presidential ticket.

Despite the political gang up, the ruling APC, has remained unperturbed, insisting that it’s economic reforms under the renewed Hope agenda, though, harsh initially, has started yielding positive results in all sectors of the nation’s economy, and deserve to be given a second term chance so as to enable it consolidate on the gains of first tenure.

However, some Nigerians, including citizens of Enugu state, South East Nigeria, still strongly believes that the alternative political vehicle the nation’s electorates should used in traveling to their expected democratic destination in 2027, is the PDP.

But unfortunately, the protracted internal crisis that has continued unabated in the party has completely shattered the party’s umbrella across all levels.

Though, despite the mess the PDP has find itself, huge number of the party faithful in several states of Nigeria have remained resolute, saying all hope is not yet lost, and that the once ruling party could still bounce back and stand on it’s feet ahead of 2027, even with the defection of almost all it’s governors to the ruling APC, including governor Peter Mbah of Enugu state, who recently left the party for APC.

Some members of the PDP who spoke to the author of this piece under condition of annonimity expressed optimism that the party can be rejuvenated ahead of 2027, stressing that her grass root structures are still intact across the country.

They insisted that the PDP has all it takes to change the narrative in the nation’s political space, and show the APC the exit door in the next election, saying although, for that to happen, the national leadership must put in place the right people in the right positions, especially at the states and zonal levels.

The respondents, further maintained that enthroning experience and core party men and women at different levels would also do magic for the PDP in 2027 and beyond.

They equally urged the party’s national headship to avoid the temptation of fielding unpopular flag bearers as well as entrusting administrative leadership positions, especially state chairmen in the hands of those they described as ‘PDP in the morning, APC in the night, stating that such could be counter productive.

In Enugu state, despite the sorry state of the party, members still have absolute confidence in the state Caretaker Committee Chairman, Barrister Steve Oruruo, who was recently inaugurated along side his Imo state counterpart with their Executive Committees.

The Enugu PDP faithfuls, believes so much in the capacity of Orurou, who once piloted affairs of the Ebonyi state chapter of the party when it matters most.

For the party members in the coal city state of Enugu, Oruruo, with his long years of experience in party politics, has all it takes to re-fixed the PDP shattered umbrella in the state, and stabilize the party which has never lost the governorship or any other elections in the state since the inception of the ongoing democratic rule in 1999.

According to them, the PDP in Enugu state before now, had the structures needed to win any election, and strong presence in the entire 17 local government areas of the state and three senatorial districts.

They posited that despite the fact that the centre can no hold in the once ruling PDP which made life bearable for Nigerians and shielded them from every unfriendly weather, there is need for the electorate to remember the past and do the needful with their voters cards in 2027.

“Without fear of contradiction, the PDP restored the hopes of Nigerians when it came to power in 1999 – 2015, via it’s human oriented programme and policies. It wiped away citizens tears and healed the wounds inflicted on the masses by the military” said a citizen.

Although, the task of fixing the terribly shattered PDP umbrella in Enugu state may not be an easy one for the current state leadership under Barrister Orurou’s watch.

Though, highly intelligent, but For him to truly succeed, he needs to rely solely on God’s guidance and direction as well as seek for more devine wisdom from his maker, because depending on his intelligence and experience on party politics alone may not yeild the desired result.

The situation no doubt, looks irredeemable in Enugu state, especially with the exit of the state governor, Mbah who was elected under the platform of the PDP in 2023, but recently defected to the APC with all his Commissioners, members of the state and National Assembly, local government chairmen and all his appointees.

As a former state Secretary and prominent figure in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oruruo, who understands the intrigues and power play in the party, also posseses all the human ingredients to rebuild the troubled umbrella house in Enugu state, though, under a conducive level playing ground and if given the needed and necessary support from the party’s recognized national secretariat in Abuja.

It is widely believed that it is against the backdrop of Oruruo’s huge experience in the party politics that the former National leadership of the PDP appointed him the Caretaker Committee Chairman of PDP in Ebonyi State from Enugu state, an assignment he discharged creditably well.

He has also held other key positions in the party , including Chairman of the PDP South East Zonal Disciplinary Committee, and known for advocating transparency, fairness, and inclusivity within the party system.

It is also believed in many political quarters that the current National Chairman of the (PDP), Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), has absolute confidence on the Enugu state born lawyer turned politician, and what he can do with his God given intelligence hence, the National working Committee did not hesitate to appoint him as the Enugu state Caretaker Committee Chairman.

However, for Oruruo to succeed and deliver the goods as expected by the PDP national body amid the current Enugu political environment, he must go the extra mile to reawaken the consciousness of the Enugu electorates, and must also realistically put on his thinking cap and think out side the box.

Arguably, Oruruo, is one of the very few skilled politicians in Enugu state that carved a nitch for himself in the political space without any perceived God father support or influence, but the 2027 general election may spur his political status to higher heights or, diminished it.

Going by his political antecedents, there is no gain saying the fact that this young political master strategist have all it takes to rebuild and reposition the PDP in Enugu state from it’s current dwindling status ahead of the general polls, but would definitely going to meet serious stumbling blocks and barriers on the way.

As the 2027 general election gathers momentum therefore, all eyes from PDP quarters are on the Akpugo born young politician, and only time will tell.

Recalled, that Oruruo, had during his recent inauguration as the Caretaker Committee chairman of PDP in Enugu assured the leadership of the party at the zonal and national levels that the party still have the capacity to win elections in the state, because “we still have the people on our side”

He said: “In Enugu, there is palpable fear about what tomorrow may be because the fear is that PDP will always rejuvenate with a thunderbolt that of course, become a tsunami”

“We have already called our people, and they are waiting for us, and what we are going to do is to give them that enabling environment, give them the freedom to express themselves so that decisions, credibility will determine the outcome of the elections.

“We want to also call on the national body of the party and leadership of the opposition in the country to allow credibility and credence to take over the reigns” Orurou, pointed out that the recruitment process in Nigeria begins with the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, hence, the need for the Commission to always conduct quality, free, fair elections in the country.

The Enugu state PDP boss, posited that once there is a level playing ground on the side of the electoral umpire, INEC, the state would hold away, stating that “our members have the spirit of perseverance, resilience, and doggedness to face our opponents in any election”

He also urged the national leadership of the party to ensure that only popular Candidates with good leadership qualities are fielded for various elective positions in the 2027 elections, insisting that presenting unpopular Candidates would do the party more harm than good.

“If we present quality and popular candidates that the people love to fly our flags, definitely it will resonate with the yearnings of the ordinary people.