The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum has taken a swipe at members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) who recently defected from the party, describing them as “prodigal children” who are only now realising they boarded a “one-chance vehicle.”
The forum’s director-general, Dr. Emmanuel Agbo, issued the statement on Monday, August 25, saying the PDP was not surprised by ADC’s criticism of its governors’ meeting in Gusau, Zamfara State.
According to him, the gathering was a serious political engagement focused on national issues, not a frivolous celebration.
The backlash came after ADC leaders and some residents of Zamfara condemned the dinner organised by PDP governors, describing it as “insensitive” at a time when communities in the state were still mourning victims of bandit attacks.
ADC’s publicity secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, called the event an “insensitive jamboree” and accused the governors of ignoring the suffering of ordinary people.
But the PDP governors dismissed those remarks as “frustration dressed up as criticism.”
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“Ordinarily, we would have ignored them, but we need to correct the false impression being pushed to the public,” the statement read. “The meeting was planned long before, and unlike ADC, we do not play politics with human lives.”
Agbo explained that the Gusau gathering went beyond symbolic gestures, noting that the governors deliberated on pressing national issues, particularly insecurity.
He added that the forum praised Zamfara’s efforts to combat violence while condemning the continued killings in Katsina, Plateau, Niger, and Benue states.
The governors maintained that the departure of ADC members had brought renewed strength and focus to the PDP.
“Since their departure, PDP has become stronger and more determined. The ADC, with its sense of entitlement, was a major obstacle to unity.
“That they cannot even see the importance of the security deliberations is not surprising,” the statement added.