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With the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) set to hold its rescheduled North Central Zonal Congress on Saturday, May 24, in Jos, Plateau State, frontline aspirant for the position of National Vice Chairman (North Central), Hon. Stephen Abraham Ajiya, has delivered a powerful and emotionally charged address warning of a deliberate attempt to hijack the party’s structure in the region.

Speaking at a press conference, Hon. Ajiya did not mince words as he exposed what he called “a clear and present danger” facing the PDP in the North Central zone, alleging a covert scheme to compromise the party’s independence and deliver it to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The aspirant’s campaign council had recently made the same allegation, calling on the party leaders and deligates to support Hon. Ajiya’s candidacy and save the party structure’s impending hijack for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Hon. Ajiya, who has remained a loyal PDP member since the party’s inception in 1999, declared that he was stepping forward not only as a candidate but as a committed party man, a grassroots mobilizer, and a believer in the founding principles of the PDP as the cornerstone of democracy in Nigeria.

He described the upcoming congress as a defining moment for the party and a test of its commitment to internal democracy and principled leadership.

In his words, “I stand before you today not just as an aspirant for the position of National Vice Chairman, North Central, of our great party—the Peoples Democratic Party—but as a committed party man, a grassroots mobilizer, and a believer in the founding vision of the PDP as the true vessel of democracy in Nigeria.”

Ajiya warned that troubling developments pointed to an unfolding plan to subvert the party’s will in the North Central, a region he described as the heart and cradle of the PDP.

He said reports and patterns indicated a deliberate plot to impose a preferred candidate through external influence and financial inducement, alleging that this plan was being executed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, in collaboration with former FCT Senator Philip Aduda.

“There is a deliberate plot to hijack the PDP structure in the North Central through the backdoor—using the instrumentality of imposition, external influence, and inducements,” Ajiya stated.

“It is no longer in doubt that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, working through a former PDP Senator, Philip Aduda, is actively promoting a candidate for the office of National Vice Chairman, North Central—not to strengthen the PDP, but to deliver our zone to the ruling APC as part of a wider political strategy for 2027.”

Calling this a dangerous subversion of democracy, Ajiya argued that the imposition of such a candidate was not only unacceptable but would amount to betrayal of the party’s trust and legacy.

“Let me be clear: this is not democracy; it is subversion. The PDP in the North Central is not for sale. Our loyalty cannot be bought. Our structures cannot be handed over on a platter to a ruling party that sees no value in genuine opposition,” he warned.

Ajiya did not stop at exposing the alleged scheme but also condemned the silence of party elders and leaders, whom he accused of turning a blind eye to the dangers facing the PDP in the zone.

He expressed disappointment over the apparent complacency or complicity of those who should be speaking up to defend the integrity of the party.

According to him, “The North Central zone is not a pawn in a political chess game—it is the birthplace of the PDP, home of our first national chairman, the great Chief Solomon Lar of blessed memory.

He noted that the ongoing attempt to install his opponent—allegedly “fronted by Senator Aduda and backed by Chief Wike, is nothing short of a calculated effort to weaken our party in the zone, compromise our internal democracy, and eventually collapse our structures into the APC.”

Ajiya pointed to a pattern of defections, secret meetings, strategic misinformation, and suspicious endorsements, including one allegedly orchestrated by the PDP FCT Executive Committee, as evidence of the broader agenda to destabilize the PDP in the North Central and align it with the APC’s goals ahead of the 2027 elections.

“We have seen the warning signs—defections in the FCT, closed-door meetings, strategic endorsements, and financial inducements to delegates—all pointing to an agenda that does not serve the interest of our party or the Nigerian people,” he lamented.

He used the occasion to appeal to delegates across the zone to rise above fear, manipulation, and monetary inducement and to vote for integrity, experience, and loyalty.

Hon. made it clear that he was not afraid of a free and fair contest, emphasizing that his candidacy represents a grassroots-driven approach rooted in principle and commitment to party ideals.

“Let me say without hesitation: I am not afraid of a free, fair, and credible contest. I welcome it. My record speaks for itself. Since 1999, I have remained in the PDP. I have never jumped ship.

“I have never betrayed our cause. I have served, mobilized, and stood firm with the party—through the highs and the lows. My loyalty is total, and my commitment is unquestionable”, he said.

Hon. Ajiya also made a passionate call on the party’s National Working Committee and national leadership to act swiftly and decisively to prevent the congress from being compromised.

He urged them to restore faith in the party’s internal mechanisms and reassure members that the PDP remains a credible platform for democratic engagement.

“To our national leadership, I respectfully call on you to rise to the occasion. This is the time to show Nigerians that the PDP is still the party of justice, fairness, and internal democracy. The stakes are too high to stay silent. The time to act is now.”

In concluding his address, Ajiya declared that the future of the PDP—and the future of democracy in Nigeria—rests in the hands of the delegates and the decisions they will make on May 24.

He vowed to continue the fight for a party that remains accountable to its members and faithful to its founding principles.

“The PDP is worth fighting for. Our legacy, our structures, our future—they must not be handed over to the very forces we were formed to oppose. With faith in God, belief in our members, and trust in the process, we will prevail. With PDP, we serve the people. With PDP, we secure the future. With PDP, we win!”

With the date of the zonal congress drawing near, the stakes have never been higher. Ajiya’s bold declaration is already sparking intense debate within party ranks, setting the stage for what may become a pivotal moment in the PDP’s journey toward 2027.

StreetReporters.ng

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