Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki,
has decsribed the defection of the running
mate to the party’s presidential candidate
in the 2023 election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa,
“disgraceful and unprecedented.”
The former Kwara State Governor was reacting
to the wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) in a statement he personally signed on
Thursday night.
Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has decsribed the defection of the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, and Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, as “disgraceful and unprecedented.”
The former Kwara State Governor was reacting to the wave of defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in a statement he personally signed on Thursday night.
On Wednesday, Oborevwori, the incumbent governor of Delta State, and Okowa left the PDP for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Oborevwori succeeded Okowa as the governor of Delta after winning the 2023 election on the PDP platform.
Saraki said he had received numerous calls from concerned party members and young supporters of democracy about the recent defections in the Delta State chapter of the PDP.
On the defection of Okowa, Saraki said the act was “disgraceful and unprecedented”. “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. The country is experiencing a collapse of leadership values,” he said.
The former Kwara governor said those who intend to leave the PDP should exit now to allow loyalists to rebuild the opposition party.
“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,” the statement read. He noted that a strong opposition is crucial for the survival of democracy, adding that Nigeria cannot thrive as a one-party state. “To sustain democracy, there must be viable choices for people at every point.
“There must be a viable opposition to keep people’s hope alive and create credible alternatives to keep the government on its toes,” Saraki said. He warned that a one-party system, as allegedly being plotted by some politicians, is risky for a country as diverse as Nigeria.
“It is even more dangerous when we eliminate alternatives and make people hopeless,” Saraki added. The former governor described the current phase of the “PDP as a rebirth” and called on committed members to stay focused.
He said it is better for the party to have a few sincere and committed members than many who are double-faced. “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.
“This development has vindicated the stance of people like me who have decided to remain silent and watch events unfold,” Saraki said.
The former Senate President said he observed a lack of sincerity among some opposition leaders and often could not trust those around him.
“It is a league; twenty-four hours is a long time in politics, and nobody can predict how the dynamics will evolve in the coming weeks and months,” he said.
Saraki said the events in Delta State should not demoralise PDP members, but rather encourage them to consolidate and strengthen the party.
He also warned against blaming the ruling party for PDP’s internal issues, urging members to focus on their responsibilities.
“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,” he said.
He reiterated the need to build institutions rather than place hope in individuals, stressing that the party can still be victorious with fewer, loyal governors.
“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 former governor said.
Saraki said the PDP still has two years before the next elections to regroup and strategise.
He expressed confidence that the party’s leadership would soon meet to take a strategic position.
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