Political strategist and academic, Professor Udenta Udenta, has sharply criticised the recent wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing the actions of the governors involved as “cowardly and gutless.”
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television on Tuesday, Prof Udenta dismissed suggestions that the PDP is in decline, insisting instead that the party remains “politically vibrant” and deeply rooted in the support of the Nigerian people.
Udenta, who is also a founding National Secretary of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), was responding to questions surrounding the current state of the PDP and his previous comments on former President Goodluck Jonathan’s potential return to the political arena.
“When I spoke partially about the prospect of the former president, I didn’t speak as a spokesperson,” he clarified. “He has not declared any political context in the election. Even his membership of the party is something only he can clarify.”
Addressing the issue of defections, Prof Udenta said the departure of certain PDP governors to the All Progressives Congress (APC) had more to do with personal ambition and self-interest than political ideology or party strength.
“If you decide to use the PDP as a platform, the party is vibrant with life,” he asserted. “Even though there’s a shift among the upper crust of the political elite — the governors — who, for some reason, decide to say, ‘okay, we call it a day, we’re going to join APC where we think that their gluttony will power our own ambition’.”
Udenta maintained that the PDP’s strength lies not in individual politicians but in its identity as a people-centred movement. He argued that those leaving the party are doing so not out of principle, but for selfish gains, betraying the democratic mandate given to them.
“These defections are not just cowardly; they are gutless,” he said bluntly. “They reflect a lack of political integrity and a betrayal of the party’s ideals and the electorate who placed their trust in them.”
Despite internal challenges, Prof Udenta stressed that the PDP continues to be a relevant force in Nigerian politics and should not be underestimated.
“The PDP is not collapsing. It remains strong, vibrant, and alive — because its foundation is built on the people, not just on elites seeking power for power’s sake,” he concluded.
