Eric Patrick
Former Senate President and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reconciliation Committee, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said that the wave of defections from the PDP is far from over, warning that “the worst is not yet” for the opposition party.
Despite this, he expressed optimism that the party remains on course to rebuild ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on Friday during an interview on ARISE News Channel’s PrimeTime Show, Saraki addressed the party’s internal challenges and outlined the path forward.
“At this time PDP would likely see one or two more defections. And we should prepare ourselves for that, there is a possibility. Maybe Fubara, maybe others.
“We say, look, the worst is not yet. We haven’t seen the worst of the defections for PDP,” he said.
However, Saraki dismissed fears that the defections signaled the party’s collapse, insisting the PDP still commands strong grassroots support.
“The party is still very strong in the grassroots, Some of the grassroots members say, look, I’ve been PDP all my life
“But out of the politics, there’s deference to our leaders. That’s what I mean by it’s top-bottom, as opposed to bottom-up.”
Saraki argued that the defections may ultimately serve a positive purpose for the PDP.
“Those that want to leave, let them leave. Maybe it’s an opportunity… Those who are staying, clearly they’re staying, they’re very committed.
“Let’s use this opportunity to start to rebuild for the future,” he said.
He also described the timing of the current crisis as a potential advantage, noting that the party has ample time to reorganize before the next general election.
“This happening early in PDP is an advantage. We have two years to election, and we’re lucky to have that,” he stated.
Commenting on the situation within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Saraki weighed in on the resignation rumours surrounding National Chairman Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.
“Either way, clearly something is going on there. Clearly, there’s some minor, mild, major upheaval going on.
“The National Chairman of a ruling party is never rumoured to resign unless there’s some trouble,” he observed.
On the PDP’s internal leadership wrangles and the status of the much-anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, Saraki clarified:
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“So it’s not going to be an NEC on Monday, it’s going to be a caucus. We’re all trying to just be guided there by the law.
“What is paramount is the interest of the party that ensures that we are not subject to litigations that would jeopardize our aspirants.”
Addressing the confusion around the position of National Secretary, he added, “As far as INEC is concerned, the person that they see as a secretary, as of today, is Senator Sam Anyanwu.”
He stressed that the reconciliation process is ongoing and aimed at creating a solid foundation for party unity.
“Until this point, none of us had accepted any secretary. We’re starting the process of doing the right thing. So if we can address the issue of the secretary, then we can go to NEC, then go to convention, and then hopefully at convention we will have a newly elected executive.”
Looking ahead to 2027, Saraki affirmed the PDP’s commitment to fielding a credible presidential candidate.
“Exactly. We are thinking to ensure that we have a credible, serious candidate.
“We’re not yet at home, but we’re laying the foundation to make PDP a good and attractive platform.”
Rejecting claims that the party is beyond repair, Saraki concluded, “It is not a lost cause.
“A party of over 26 years of history, it is doable. We just have to take those steps one by one to rebuild the party.”