Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has weighed in on the wave of defections currently affecting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Reacting to the recent defection of Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, alongside the party’s 2023 vice-presidential candidate, Ifeanyi Okowa, and several other prominent PDP leaders to the All Progressives Congress (APC), Saraki described the situation as a phase of ‘rebirth’ rather than decline.
In a statement posted on his Instagram page on Friday, the 62-year-old politician stated that those intent on leaving the party should feel free to do so, as their exit would allow the PDP to identify its core loyalists and refocus its vision.
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Saraki added that the PDP’s path forward rests on the commitment of those who choose to stay.
The Kwara-born politician also noted that the current defections have vindicated the position of individuals like himself who opted to remain silent and observe the unfolding events.
“I have seen that there was no sincerity with supposed leaders of the opposition. One was not sure of the next person one was talking to. My appeal to PDP members nationwide is that we should know that the sustenance of democracy is not a sprint. Rather, it is a marathon. It is not a knock-out football match series. It is a league.
“24 hours is a long time in politics and nobody can predict how the dynamics will evolve in the coming weeks and months. That is why PDP members across the country should not be discouraged, disillusioned, disappointed, or demoralised by the development in Delta State. We should stay strong and focus on strengthening the party. It is not necessary at this point to lament why they left”, said Saraki.
He further stated that members of the PDP should refrain from attributing the party’s challenges to the APC, describing such a stance as a lazy and unproductive approach.
Saraki noted that the APC is simply engaging in political manoeuvres to secure electoral victory.
He urged PDP members to disregard these tactics and instead focus on harnessing the current momentum to strengthen and revitalise the party.
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The statement further read, “My view is that those who want to leave the PDP should leave now and let the rest of us who want to stay concentrate on rebuilding the party and refocusing it to play the role of a viable opposition that will provide a better alternative for the good people of Nigeria. I am convinced that it is important for all Nigerians to work for the sustenance of democracy. And to sustain democracy, there must be viable choices for people at every point.
“Also, there must be a viable opposition to keep people’s hope alive and create credible alternatives to keep the government on its toes. A one-party state as being disingenuously designed by some people will not augur well for a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multicultural, multi-religious, and highly diversified society like ours. it is even more dangerous when we eliminate alternatives and make people hopeless. Therefore, it is in the interest of Nigeria and the survival of our democracy for the opposition to be vibrant and strong enough with the capacity to replace the ruling party at any point.
“Yes, it is unbecoming and shocking for the running mate to the standard bearer of a leading party to abandon ship to join the ruling party. This is unprecedented and nobody should try to justify such an act with the talk of being put under pressure. It is simply a sign of how low we have sunk as a polity. The country is experiencing a collapse of leadership values.
“These developments in the polity are the reason why I have always canvassed the idea that we should emphasize building and strengthening our institutions and not individuals. With the defection of the governor of Delta State, even if the party has only ten governors in its fold, the PDP is still in a good position to win the next round of elections.
“Our numerous party members should know that the POP is better with fewer members who are loyal, sincere, determined, dedicated, and committed to its ideas, ideals, and progress than to have so many who will identify with us in the afternoon and be romancing the ruling party in the night.
“We still have about two years before the next election. That is a tough time in politics. We have enough time to brace up to the challenge. There is nothing that prevents us from getting some governors from the other parties to join our ranks. My appeal to our young party members is that this defection is just a mere challenge to us to further mobilize and put our house in order. Also, our women’s wing should seize the opportunity to help in the rebuilding mission. The PDP will come out stronger from this development.
“I am very sure the various leadership organs of our party will soon make public their reaction to this development and convey the necessary meetings to strategize on how to strongly and strategically respond to it. Therefore there is no cause for alarm. Our party members should not lose focus, hope, or the determination to win. We should see the current development as a challenge to rebuild and refocus the party. Tomorrow is very bright.”
