Former Senate President Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki has dismissed recent high-profile defections from the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), claiming there is no need for concern and that the party is entering a period of rebirth and reconstruction.
In a statement on his X, Saraki said, “Following the development in the Delta State Chapter of our party, I have been inundated with phone calls from leaders and members of our party as well as various youths who have been active in promoting democracy and good governance in our country.”
Speaking directly on the defection of top party leaders, he said, “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.”
Saraki highlighted the need for a robust opposition in Nigeria’s democratic space, warning against the danger of one-party dominance.
“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, multi-cultural, multi-religious, and highly diversified society like ours. It is even more dangerous when we eliminate alternatives and make people hopeless.”
“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.”
The PDP chieftain described the current situation as a moment of clarity for the party, saying, “Those who want to leave the party should go and let those of us remaining have a clear view of who we are talking to and where their political loyalty lies.”
“All we need is for those who want to stay back in PDP to show commitment, and we can all work to rebuild the party.”
Speaking on recent developments, he said, “This development has vindicated the stance of people like me who have decided to remain silent and watch events unfold. 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.”
Saraki called for perspective and patience, saying, “The sustenance of democracy is not a sprint. Rather, it is a marathon. It is not a knockout 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.”
“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.”
He warned against externalising blame, “Our party members should also refrain from blaming our woes on the ruling party. That would be a lazy approach. They are playing politics to win elections. It is our responsibility as party members to ignore their antics and seize the moment and momentum to make our party stronger and better.”
Commenting on the defection of Delta’s governor Sheriff Oborevwori and his deputy, Saraki noted, “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 talk of being put under pressure. It is simply a sign of how low we have sunk as a polity.”
Saraki also stressed the need for institutional integrity over personalities: “These developments in the polity are the reason why I have always canvassed the idea that we should emphasise building and strengthening our institutions and not individuals.”
Amid the current setbacks, Saraki remains optimistic about PDP’s chances: “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.”
“The PDP 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.”
Furthermore, Saraki added that the two years remaining before the next general election is ample time to reposition the party: “That is a long 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.”
Saraki appealed to the youth and women of the party, saying, “My appeal to our young party members is that this defection is just a mere challenge to us to further mobilise 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 strategise 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,” Saraki added.
