The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Ini Ememobong, has warned that governors who defected from the party will regret their decision when the results of the 2027 general elections are eventually declared.
Ememobong said the anticipated regret would serve as a lasting reminder that political principle and loyalty remain important values in public life. He made the remarks on Friday during an interview on The Morning Brief, a programme aired on Channels Television and monitored by DAILY POST.
Reacting to recent defections from the PDP and criticisms levelled against the party by former members, Ememobong acknowledged that the party was facing internal challenges but rejected claims that defectors were blameless in the crisis.
“For elections, we acknowledge the fact that there are problems in the PDP, and we are not being irresponsible about that,” he said. “But we are saying to them that the problems in the PDP concern human beings, and they were leaders of the party at the time when these problems were there.”
According to the PDP spokesman, many of those now criticising the party were themselves key decision-makers when the internal disputes emerged. He argued that it was disingenuous for such individuals to distance themselves from the crisis without accepting responsibility.
“So when you are pointing accusing fingers at the PDP, you are simply having four fingers pointing back at you,” Ememobong said. “The question is: what did you do when this crisis was there? Because human beings created the crisis.”
He further suggested that the defections were driven more by political convenience than by genuine concern for party reform or ideological differences. Ememobong warned that unresolved personal and leadership issues were likely to follow defectors into their new political platforms.
“When they say there is a problem in the PDP, it means they are also part of the problem,” he said. “And we know that they are exporting this same problem to wherever they are going to. So, it is a matter of convenience.”
Ememobong expressed confidence that the PDP would weather its internal challenges and remain competitive ahead of the 2027 elections. He maintained that voters would ultimately judge politicians not just by their party affiliations, but by their consistency, credibility and commitment to democratic values.
The comments come amid a wave of defections by some governors and high-profile politicians, a development that has fuelled debate about the future strength of opposition parties in Nigeria. While defectors have cited internal crises and leadership disputes as reasons for leaving, the PDP leadership insists that the party is undergoing reforms and remains focused on reclaiming power.
As political alignments continue to shift ahead of 2027, Ememobong’s remarks underline the PDP’s position that electoral outcomes, rather than short-term political manoeuvres, will be the ultimate test of those decisions.
