Saraki see hope in reformed PDP amid gale of defections

Despite perceived deflation of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) following the gale of defection that struck the main opposition party, , former Senate President Bukola Saraki has called on the party supporters that there is no cause for alarm, pledging that the party will be returned to winning ways.

In a statement signed by the former governor of Kwara State on Thursday, Saraki said, “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”.

He stressed that for democracy to be sustained, there must be a strong, viable opposition and credible alternatives. He said that drifting into a one party state will not augur will in a diversified society like Nigeria.

“I am convinced that it is important for all Nigerians to work for the sustenance of democracy. And 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.

“Therefore, 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”

Saraki said that what is happening in the PDP is just a rebirth which will provide an opportunity to determine where the loyalty of remaining members lie. He said that those who should remain behind should only be committed members willing to make the necessary sacrifices towards rebuilding the PDP.

“Thus, my charge to our party members is that the PDP is merely experiencing a rebirth. 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”.

He said that the development has vindicated him and others who remained silence watching as party members betray each other and the party.

He called on PDP members not be discouraged but realise that the task of rebuilding a party is a herculean task.

“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 the supposed leaders of the opposition. One was not sure of the next person one was talking to.

“My appeal to PDP members nationwide is that we should know that the sustenance of democracy is not a sprint. Rather, it is a marathon. It is not a knock-out 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.

“That is why 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.

“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. The country is experiencing a collapse of leadership values.

“These developments in the polity are the reason why I have always canvassed the idea that we should emphasize building and strengthening our institutions and not individuals. 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” he said.

According to Saraki, “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.

“We still have about two years before the next election. 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. My appeal to our young party members is that this defection is just a mere challenge to us to further mobilize 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” he reassured.

The Waziri of Ilorin encouraged PDP members 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” he emphasized.