If history has taught us anything about Nigeria’s main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), it is that it does not need external enemies to fail,  its internal betrayals, power tussles, and ego battles have always been more than enough to keep it in a state of political limbo. As we inch closer to the 2027 general elections, one question continues to echo loudly in political circles and among concerned citizens: Who will break the self-destructive jinx in PDP before it is too late, again?

Since its humiliating fall from power in 2015, the PDP has had multiple chances to regroup, restructure, and reinvent itself. But what has it done with those opportunities? Squandered them, repeatedly. Despite being the largest party in Africa at the time, with unrivaled grassroots structure and years of incumbency advantage, the PDP failed to read the signs of the time, culminating in the unprecedented electoral defeat that ushered in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

From the infighting that shattered the party in the lead-up to the 2019 elections, to the North-South zoning war and the controversial emergence of Atiku Abubakar as its 2023 presidential flagbearer, the PDP has constantly chosen internal chaos over unity. Instead of learning from its failures, the party has nurtured a culture of political cannibalism, where ambition, not ideology, drives decisions; where loyalty is a currency quickly devalued; and where leaders would rather burn down the house than let someone else hold the keys.

No recent example illustrates the PDP’s destructive streak better than the messy fallout between Nyesom Wike and Atiku Abubakar. What began as a legitimate grievance over zoning and fairness quickly degenerated into open hostility, with Wike leading the G5 governors into rebellion against the party. These were not lightweight political players. They were serving governors with strong influence in their respective states. The refusal to manage egos and build consensus turned what could have been a formidable campaign machine into a fragmented and toothless opposition during the 2023 elections.

Atiku’s emergence as the flagbearer, despite the party’s own zoning principle, was viewed as a betrayal by many Southern stakeholders who had expected the presidency to rotate to the South after President Buhari’s two terms. Rather than using diplomacy and reconciliation, the party doubled down, effectively sidelining Wike and the G5. The result? The PDP experienced hemorrhaged support in key states and performed dismally at the polls. The APC won not because it was more popular, but because the PDP was too divided to present a united front.

What is even more disheartening is that, rather than closing ranks after the election, the wounds have deepened. Wike, who is now a minister in the APC-led government, continues to throw jabs at his former party, and many believe he still has one hand on the PDP’s throat, even while wearing APC colors.

While the ruling APC continues to struggle under the weight of economic hardship and dwindling public goodwill, the PDP, which should be capitalizing on the situation, is instead wasting time shadow-boxing within itself.

This is not a one-off problem. The PDP has made it a tradition to approach every election season with more division than vision. Every election cycle since 2015 has featured parallel congresses at state and national levels, endless court battles over primaries, an obsession with power rotation without a consensus framework and kingmakers who become wreckers once their preferred candidate loses out.

These self-inflicted wounds are no coincidence. They point to a systemic illness, a refusal to prioritize the party’s survival over personal interests. Unless that jinx is broken, 2027 will not be different. In fact, it may be worse. The PDP is in danger of becoming irrelevant if it doesn’t reset urgently.

So the question remains: Who in the PDP will rise above ambition and ego to steer the party back from the brink?

Is it Atiku Abubakar, who still carries the burden of a serial presidential candidate but risks overstaying his welcome in the political ring? While his experience is undeniable, many Nigerians believe his time has passed. The electorate, especially the youth, are yearning for fresh ideas and faces.

Is it Nyesom Wike, whose influence remains potent but polarizing, especially with his flirtation with the ruling APC? Can he be trusted to lead a party he once undermined?

Could it be younger, less divisive voices like Aminu Tambuwal, Bala Mohammed, or even a completely fresh face who can rally the party around a unifying agenda rather than individual ambition? Could the party produce a consensus builder like the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who would prioritize healing and development over factional dominance?

Whoever it is, one thing is clear, PDP cannot survive another round of selfish politics. It needs leadership that understands compromise, respects the party’s diversity, and willing to put structure over self.

Given that time Is not on their side, it is germane to opine that the 2027 elections may seem far away, but in politics, time flies. The APC is already positioning itself for the next contest. The Labour Party is quietly rebuilding. Even fringe parties are beginning to gain traction among the frustrated youth demographic.

The PDP? Still stuck in the loop of old wounds and new betrayals. If nothing changes, and fast, it may end up not even being the main opposition anymore. That title could very well go to the Labour Party or even a coalition of third-force elements.

Another fundamental challenge the PDP must confront is the trust gap between the party and the Nigerian people. Many Nigerians see the PDP as no different from the APC as they are seen to be two sides of the same coin. That perception can only be changed through bold reforms, internal democracy, inclusion of young and competent candidates, and a clear ideological shift.

The PDP must prove to Nigerians that it has learned its lessons and that it is no longer the party of impunity, rigging, and corruption that got it booted out in 2015. If not, even a united PDP may still be rejected at the polls.

History is watching. Nigerians are watching. And if PDP fails to fix itself yet again, it will have no one else to blame. The jinx will not break itself.

The clock is ticking, and the 2027 elections will not wait for anyone. If the PDP truly wants to reclaim its lost glory and provide credible opposition to the APC, it must start now. It must identify and empower a new generation of leaders who are not tainted by the past and who are genuinely committed to service.

Until then, the question will remain unanswered: Who will break the self-destructive jinx in PDP before 2027?