By Our Correspondent
National News – Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has raised concerns over the sharp decline in the number of lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), revealing that the opposition party has lost 31 senators in the National Assembly due to ongoing internal crises and political defections.
The lawmaker made the remarks in Abuja during the inauguration of the PDP 2026 National Convention Committee, a development party leaders believe could help restore unity and strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at the event, Akpoti-Uduaghan acknowledged that the PDP has faced a turbulent period marked by leadership disagreements and widespread defections.
According to her, the party once had 37 senators shortly after the 2023 general elections, but the number has dropped dramatically to just six members in the Senate.
She explained that the frequent defections were largely driven by unresolved leadership conflicts within the party.
The situation, she said, created uncertainty among lawmakers and weakened the PDP’s influence in the upper legislative chamber.
Despite the setback, the senator expressed optimism that the inauguration of the convention committee marks a turning point for the party.
She urged former PDP lawmakers who left the party to reconsider their decisions and return.
Akpoti-Uduaghan also maintained that the political advantages many defectors expected outside the PDP might not necessarily materialise, adding that the opposition party still has the potential to rebuild and regain its strength.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the PDP 2026 National Convention Committee, former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, described the committee’s inauguration as a defining moment in the party’s political journey.
Ikpeazu said the convention would serve as a platform for reflection, reconciliation, and renewal within the PDP.
He noted that the party had endured serious internal disagreements and legal battles that tested its unity and organisational structure.
According to him, a recent appellate court ruling affirming the party’s National Caretaker Working Committee has opened a fresh chapter for rebuilding trust and restoring discipline within the party.
He stressed that reconciliation among party stakeholders across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory would be essential to reposition the PDP as a strong opposition force and prepare it for future electoral contests, particularly the 2027 elections.
