In a blistering critique of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Gloria Okolugbo, Director of Communications for Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North in the National Assembly, has described the once-dominant party as a "lifeless carcass."
Speaking to journalists in Asaba, Delta State, on Tuesday, January 22, 2025, Okolugbo accused the PDP of abandoning its foundational principles and losing its connection with Nigerians. Her remarks reflect the growing discontent among prominent members and the public with the party's current state.
“But there is certainly the need to make people understand that what they think they are holding on to—the PDP structure—is a carcass,” Okolugbo stated. “Sooner or later, it will show that it’s a carcass. Is there any time you go into an uncompleted building and it feels like a mansion? It’s a duplex, but it is a carcass.”
Using vivid analogies, she illustrated the party’s decline. “Where there used to be AC, there is no AC. Where there used to be beds, there is no bed. You can go into the carcass of a duplex and sleep on the floor—it will feel like you’re sleeping in the forest. That’s what’s left of the PDP: a carcass,” she declared.
Okolugbo expressed frustration over the current state of the PDP, lamenting that many of those now enjoying power and privilege within the party played no role in building it.
“For some of us, it is very painful because we built PDP. When some of the people who are enjoying in government now were busy collecting names for APC without explaining to people why, we were the ones building the PDP,” she said.
Reflecting on Senator Nwoko’s decision to step away from the party, she emphasized that it was not taken lightly. “It’s not a very good thing for us, and I don’t think it was an easy or careless decision that the Distinguished Senator made. It was a carefully considered decision,” she added.
Okolugbo’s comments underscore the challenges facing the PDP, as it grapples with waning influence and internal dissatisfaction. Her remarks serve as a wake-up call to the party’s leadership to address its growing disconnect and regain its relevance in Nigeria’s political landscape.
As the PDP continues to face criticism from its own members, many wonder whether the party can overcome its current woes or if it will remain, as Okolugbo described, “a lifeless carcass.”
