2027: Ignore defections, Nigerians are with us — PDP cites 4.2m registrations

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By Luminous Jannamike

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says Nigerians are not following politicians defecting to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that millions still stand with the opposition despite the shifting political landscape.

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At a time when defections are dominating headlines, the PDP is drawing a different picture: one where loyalty at the grassroots remains steady.

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The party says its ongoing digital registration exercise, which has already captured over 4.2 million members, shows that public support has not moved.

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The party’s factional National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, made this known in Abuja while briefing journalists on the interim results of the PDP’s digital membership registration.

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“Data on our portal indicates that our Ward Registration Agents, as at midnight of March 31, 2026, recorded a total of 4,264,675 members,” Ememobong said.

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He explained that the exercise, which lasted three weeks, was demanding. According to him, the party relied heavily on volunteers and reached members across both rural and urban communities despite tight timelines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

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“This digital membership registration has shown clearly that the politicians are defecting, not the electorate,” he added.

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The PDP says the numbers point to a nationwide presence, with registrations coming in from polling units, wards and local government areas across the country.

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On average, the party recorded 24 members per polling unit and about 484 members in each of the 8,809 wards.

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The breakdown also shows a slight gender gap. Male members accounted for 2,336,069 registrations, while female members stood at 1,928,606, a difference of just over nine per cent.

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In terms of age, younger Nigerians appear to be leading the numbers. Those between 18 and 40 years make up 40.3 per cent of registrants. People aged 41 to 60 account for 30.7 per cent, while those 61 and above make up 28.9 per cent.

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“This is clearly indicative of the acceptance of the party at all age levels, with young people outnumbering other age groups,” Ememobong said.

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Looking at the country by regions, the South-West recorded the highest number of registrations with 953,954 members, followed by the South-South with 917,652. The North-Central had 757,502 members, just ahead of the North-West with 754,935. The North-East recorded 646,305, while the South-East had 234,327.

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At the state level, Kaduna led with 408,915 members. Edo followed with 378,033, while Oyo recorded 368,204. Ogun and Kano had 316,311 and 275,786 members respectively.

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Beyond the numbers, the PDP linked the turnout to growing frustration among Nigerians, especially around insecurity.

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“They are dissatisfied with the current maladministration of the Tinubu APC-led Federal Government, where killings and insecurity have become the new normal for Nigerians,” he said.

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The party also criticised how quickly the government responds to political issues compared to security matters.

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“More painful is the fact that the President’s release on that issue came out more than 24 hours after the mass killings, whereas if it were a political matter, he would have expeditiously handled it,” Ememobong added.

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Amid its internal challenges, the PDP drew a clear line between what it described as the ‘authentic’ party and those it believes are working for the APC from within.

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“The PDP is an opposition party and cannot and will not become an appendage of, or subservient to, the APC,” he said.

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He urged Nigerians to ignore such individuals, stressing that the party cannot share identity or direction with the ruling party.

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As part of efforts to bring in more members, the PDP announced that the registration exercise has been extended to April 30, 2026, citing high demand.

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“We urge all members of our party to ensure that they are properly registered on this new digital membership platform,” he said.

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He stressed that the process is free and is being conducted through the party’s official platform.

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The party added that it is still verifying many of the entries to ensure accuracy, noting that a large number of registrations are undergoing checks.

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“This show of confidence by these millions of Nigerians places on us, the leadership, a concomitant responsibility to protect and safeguard their future,” Ememobong said.

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For the PDP, the real battle will be decided by voters, not defections.

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“This shall not happen; neither shall it come to pass,” he said.

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