The Peoples Democratic Party in Nasarawa State has said the outcome of the recent Osun State governorship election has strengthened its determination to challenge the influence of incumbency in the 2027 general elections.
The party’s Nasarawa governorship candidate, Dr David Ombugadu, made the position known on Thursday after the party’s state congress held at the PDP secretariat in Lafia.
Ombugadu said the Osun election had shown that voters could determine the outcome of an election regardless of the political strength of the party in power.
He said the PDP would approach the 2027 elections with the belief that the people, rather than the advantage of holding government offices, would decide who wins.
The former governorship candidate also urged voters to participate actively in the next election by casting their ballots and protecting their votes until the final results are announced.
Ombugadu said the party had learnt lessons from the 2023 elections and would work to prevent a repeat of what happened during that poll.
He also maintained that the PDP remained well positioned in Nasarawa despite the departure of some of its members to other political parties.
The party won nine seats in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly during the 2023 election. Its representation has since dropped to seven following the defection of two lawmakers.
Ombugadu said the PDP was working to regain lost ground and would seek to win all 24 seats in the state House of Assembly in 2027, in addition to securing the governorship.
The state PDP chairman, Dr Daniel Gimba, also said the recent Osun election had given the party more confidence ahead of the next general elections.
Gimba argued that financial influence could no longer guarantee electoral victory because voters were becoming more aware of their power to choose their preferred candidates.
He called on residents to vote according to their choices and ensure that their votes were properly counted and protected throughout the electoral process.
The chairman also claimed that the PDP was attracting new members from other political parties, including the All Progressives Congress, despite reports that the opposition party was losing members.
Gimba said the party had begun preparations for the 2027 elections and was putting structures in place to improve its chances at the polls.
He said the party’s immediate priority was to ensure that its members and supporters were properly organised before the election.
The PDP leadership also plans to establish a reconciliation committee to visit different parts of Nasarawa State and address disagreements arising from the party’s recent primary elections.
The committee is expected to engage aggrieved members and other stakeholders in an effort to settle internal disputes and strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 contest.
The PDP leaders said they would continue to mobilise members and supporters while calling for a peaceful electoral environment where voters can freely make their choices.