Former Kogi West Senator, Dino Melaye, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being under the control of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming that the main opposition party has effectively been “purchased” by the APC-led government.
Melaye made the explosive allegation during an appearance on Politics Today, a political programme aired on Channels Television, on Friday night.
His comments came just a day after he officially tendered his resignation letter to the PDP, citing irreconcilable differences.
According to Melaye, the PDP no longer functions independently and now operates as a subsidiary of the APC. He claimed that the party’s key decisions, including the scheduling of its National Executive Committee (NEC) and National Working Committee (NWC) meetings, are influenced directly by officials within the Presidential Villa.
> “PDP has been purchased by the APC. The PDP is a parastatal of the APC. In fact, they take dates for NEC meetings and NWC from Aso Villa,” Melaye stated.
The former senator also took aim at PDP governors, accusing them of failing to provide effective opposition and instead aligning themselves with the interests of the ruling party.
> “Look at these PDP governors, are they acting as opposition? And you know how powerful governors are,” he added.
Melaye’s remarks have sparked fresh debate about the state of opposition politics in Nigeria and the strength of internal democracy within the PDP. As of press time, the PDP has yet to issue an official response to his claims.
