The Director of the Commonwealth Institute of Advanced & Professional Studies, Prof. Anthony Kila, has criticised the recent factional clashes within the Peoples Democratic Party, describing them as evidence of systemic dysfunction in Nigerian political parties.

Speaking on Arise News on Wednesday, Kila said the behaviour of party elites during parallel meetings at Wadata Plaza reflected a failure to uphold civility, democratic norms, and internal discipline.

“What we saw there is a show of shame in terms of form and process. The content can be legitimate, but it underlines the flaw in the Nigerian partisan political elite class.”

“The fact that these people can deploy police officers as thugs, shouting, shoving, and resorting to expelling and fighting one another shows they are not of like minds… they are people there to grab power.”

He further noted the lack of professional guidance in politics, saying, “A lot of psychiatrists are not where they ought to be. It might be a good idea to actually include a law to say that every party should have a lead house psychiatrist to deal with issues of the party as well.”

Kila warned that this problem is not limited to the PDP.

“This today is the PDP. It could be anybody tomorrow. Most political parties in Nigeria share these uncivilised, unbecoming, uninspiring traits. We need to look at it as a system problem, not just a PDP problem,” he said.

The chaos unfolded after the factional National Chairman, Kabiru Turaki, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike arrived separately for NEC and BoT meetings, prompting a showdown that required heavy security intervention.

Last Saturday’s Ibadan convention had already seen the expulsion of high-profile members, including Wike, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, Kamaldeen Ajibade, former Ekiti Governor Ayo Fayose, and Austin Nwachukwu, for alleged anti-party activities.

The Wike-aligned faction subsequently expelled Bode George, former BoT Chairman Adolphus Wabara, and Turaki himself, further escalating tensions.

Kila emphasised the importance of maintaining a viable opposition to safeguard democracy.

“Let us lay a preamble to state that the reason why we’re talking about the PDP this morning is not because we are of the PDP or against the PDP. It is because those who respect institutions, love democracy, and understand what civility and civic sense are must have an interest in having a vibrant, stable, and viable opposition,” he said.

He also addressed Wike’s push for the PDP to support an APC presidential candidate, urging proper dialogue.

“It is legitimate for Minister Wike to say he wants his party to support an APC president. But the way to go about it is to have a proper conversation on the table… If the party agrees, then they support him. If they disagree, that will be a minority report,” Kila explained.