By CHRISTIANA LOT, Jos –
As part of efforts to reposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections, the party on Saturday elected new North Central zonal executives during its Congress held at Langfield Leisure Park, Rayfield, Jos, Plateau State.
Speaking at the event, Senate Minority Leader, Senator Abba Moro, dismissed fears of the party’s collapse, insisting that the PDP remains resilient despite recent defections and internal challenges.
“I don’t believe that’s a likely outcome. Yes, defections have a ripple effect, and the initial shock can be significant. But after that, PDP members will regroup, recommit, and rededicate themselves to the cause,” he said.
“I am confident that the PDP is coming back stronger. This Congress is one of the deliberate steps we are taking to breathe new life into the party, and it will only continue to grow stronger and stronger.”
His statement comes amid concerns raised by analysts over the viability of the opposition party following recent high-profile defections, particularly in Delta State and at the National Assembly.
Former Benue State governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam, had in a recent television interview warned that the PDP risked extinction before 2027 if its leaders failed to address the festering internal crisis threatening its unity.
But Moro argued that the election of new leaders at various levels was part of a broader strategy to rebuild the party’s structure and reconnect with the grassroots.
“These activities are leading up to the national convention for the election of a brand new party leadership. From the ward, to the local government, to the state, and now zonal level, we are setting the stage for the revival of the PDP,” he said.
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, who hosted the Congress, described its peaceful conduct as a demonstration of the party’s maturity and commitment to internal democracy.
“We have demonstrated that we are a people of peace, unity, and love—deeply committed to the ideals of the party,” he said.
“We have concluded this Congress peacefully and honorably. To those who were asked to step down and graciously accepted, your sacrifice will not be forgotten. The party appreciates your selflessness, and we recognize it as a sign of true loyalty and maturity.”
Also speaking, Chairman of Qua’an-Pan Local Government Area, Hon. Christopher Audu Manship (Wallat), hailed the Congress as a major step forward for party cohesion in the region.
“This event has been very orderly, peaceful, and successful. It has further united the party. Plateau has always been the heartbeat of the PDP—PDP is Plateau, and Plateau is PDP,” he said.
“No individual can destroy the PDP. It’s the biggest party in Africa, and what we are witnessing here in Jos is just the beginning of what will continue nationwide. The PDP is here to stay.”
Delegates from the six North Central states—Plateau, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, and Kogi—as well as the Federal Capital Territory, participated in the Congress, which produced a new zonal executive to steer the party’s affairs for the next four years.
Chairman of the Congress Electoral Committee, Dr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), announced Abdulraman Muhammed as the new PDP North Central Zonal Chairman, having polled 526 votes to defeat his opponent, Abraham Ajiya, who scored 18 votes. Alhassan Nda Gana also emerged as the new youth leader with 539 votes.
While elections were held for the zonal chairman and youth leader positions, ten other offices, including ex-officio positions, were filled unopposed.
In his acceptance speech, the new zonal chairman, Abdulraman Muhammed, pledged to work tirelessly to reposition the PDP in the zone and ensure victory in 2027.
“We will not betray the mandate given to us,” he said. “Our focus is clear—PDP must reclaim all the states in this zone and return to power at the national level.”
The Zonal Congress is part of a broader national process that will culminate in the PDP’s national convention, where a new national leadership is expected to emerge.
