• Defectors’ll run back –Damagum
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
In the aftermath of the unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the “coalition party” for the 2027 general elections, there are indications that the development might trigger an exodus of more Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members from the opposition party.
Daily Sun gathered that PDP top shots who are part of the coalition are likely to formally dump the party, in the coming days, so as to control the structure of ADC in their respective states.
This is as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, said those contemplating to exit should know that they cannot find a platform as accommodating as the opposition party, and would eventually return.
PDP leaders, including former Atiku Abubakar, David Mark and former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, after a meeting, on Tuesday, in Abuja, said the opposition party was now a shadow of itself. The opposition leaders, who stated that the opposition coalition was the only hope for the country in the 2027 polls implored PDP members and Nigerians to join the coalition in the build up to the next general elections.
Also in attendance at the meeting were Liyel Imoke, Babangida Aliyu, Gabriel Suswam and Sam Egwu, former governors of Cross River, Niger, Benue and Ebonyi states respectively. Others included former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, former Minister of Police, Waziri Maina, Senator Abdul Ningi, Senator Tunde Ogbeha and former Minister of External Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi.
Few hours after the meeting, Mark’s letter to his ward in Benue State, announcing his resignation from the PDP surfaced. In a letter dated June 27 and addressed to the PDP chairman, Otukpo Ward, he said he was leaving the opposition party because of the lingering crisis.
The letter titled: “Notice of Resignation from the PDP,” read: “I write to formally inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the party with immediate effect.
“You may recall that over the years, I have remained firm and deeply committed to the ideals of the PDP. Even when nearly all stakeholders departed the party following our loss in the 2015 presidential election, I pledged to remain the last man standing
“However, recent events marked by deepening divisions, persistent leadership crisis, and irreconcilable differences have reduced the party to a shadow of its former self, subjecting it to public ridicule.
“After wide consultations with my family, friends and political associates, I have resolved to join the National Coalition of Political Opposition Movement in Nigeria, as part of the collective effort to rescue our nation and preserve our hard-earned democracy.”
Inside sources told Daily Sun that like Mark, many PDP leaders involved in the ADC, alongside their supporters will sever ties with the PDP in the coming days. A few of them, it was learnt, would stay behind in the PDP and work for the ADC in the next general elections.
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, confirmed to Daily Sun that the unveiling of the ADC as the coalition party might trigger more defections in the PDP, as well as in the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Chinda, who noted that the coalition is not a political party but a group of individuals, who are unhappy with their political platforms trying to set up a new political front, wondered how far they can go.
“Let me say that the coalition is not a political party. I can say that it is a group of politicians that are not very happy with where they have found themselves trying to come together to set up a new political front.
“I will not say that I wish them well because I do not wish them well. But I want to tell them that you don’t build a house midway, leave it and start building another house. I also see a situation where midway, you are likely to leave that house and start going back to your old structure to attempt to complete it.
“Perhaps, what they are doing is to add some colour to democracy in Nigeria, showing that people have the opportunity, privilege and right to divergent opinions and views. But do not despise the Peoples Democratic Party. It will still come up strong.
“There is no doubt that it might trigger defections because more persons, both from PDP and APC, are likely to attempt to find greener political pastures among them, but how far can it go?”
Similarly, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees ( BoT), Chief Eddy Olafeso, told Daily Sun that while more persons are likely to dump the opposition party in the days ahead, more persons will also join the party.
Olafeso appealed to members of the PDP to learn from history, noting that leaders of the party are better off by consolidating and stabilising the platform than dividing it.
He said those planning to dump the party should remember that they have benefitted immensely from it. According to him, the challenges confronting the opposition, notwithstanding, the solution does not lie in defection.
“We must learn from history. We must embrace our party. If things went wrong, nobody can absolve himself from the mistakes of the past. So, we must learn from it and continue to do better for our people.
“More will leave. More will come in. But we will not stop appealing to all to see reason. We are not abusing anybody. They have political choices they have made. We are appealing to them to think twice before closing the door. Most times they have closed the door once and they returned again. We appeal to everyone of them.
“Yes, things went wrong. Nobody can deny that, but is it by running away that you solve it? If you have a family and things went wrong, must you run away? You need to fix it, and fixing it means working at it. They have been blessed. The party has promoted them extensively. When things go wrong, do we just run away?” Olafeso queried.
Damagum, while briefing journalists, at the end of a meeting of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC), said the opposition party remains united despite its challenges.
The PDP chairman stated that the APC can continue to “buy” members of the opposition party, but the ruling party must bear in mind that the 2027 general elections will be between the APC and the Nigerian people.
“To APC, I want to send a message, that you can continue to harass, and buy our members. But the 2027 election is between Nigerians and APC. So, it is better to start now and correct your ways. Hunger, insecurity, arbitrary extortion of Nigerians is more than overwhelming.
“So, we are in a democratic setting. We should hear the yearning of people. Like I said earlier, we are not conquered. We are law-abiding citizens. We deserve to be heard. For democracy to thrive people must speak their minds. People should be listened to and policies should be people-oriented. It’s not for the few.”
The PDP chairman, who noted that the party could not be conquered, said that it had mastered the art of conflict resolution.
“We know our problems, and we solve them within ourselves. As you can see, we are all here as the NWC of this party.
“We remain united despite all the challenges. We have sat down to discuss all thorny issues and thrash them out today.
“The National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled from July 23 to 25 will still hold, so PDP members contemplating leaving the party should reconsider their plan.
“There is no place that will be as accommodating as the PDP. But if they feel otherwise, I will wish them good luck. But I know they will run back to us.
“To our members, I want to bring good tidings that your party is intact,” he said.
Damagum also warned members to stop demarketing the party.
“We will watch them and take appropriate actions at the right time. If you believe in this party, you should be an ambassador that protects the fortunes that this party has given to the citizens of this country when in power,” he said.