Former Senate President Bukola Saraki has criticized the recent high-profile defections from the Delta State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and encouraged any other members intending to leave the party to do so immediately.
Saraki also maintained that there is no reason for concern and that the PDP is entering a period of renewal and restructuring.
The Waziri of Ilorin conveyed this message in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Thursday.
According to him, he has received calls from party members and leaders nationwide regarding the significant defections in Delta State, a region traditionally considered a stronghold for the main opposition party.
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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.
“Many of the callers want to know what my reaction is to the defection of top PDP leaders in Delta State and its impact on our party.
“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 emphasized the importance of a strong opposition within Nigeria’s democratic system, warning against the potential dangers of a single-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,” he said.
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He characterized the current situation within the PDP as “merely a rebirth” and stated that what is now required from the remaining members is a commitment to rebuilding the country’s leading opposition party.
He further reflected on the recent situation, saying, “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.”
Calling for perspective and patience, Saraki noted, “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, however, cautioned against externalising blame, stressing, “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.
“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.”
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