APC To PDP: ‘Massive Defection To Happen Soon’ – Ex-speakers

The Forum of Former Speakers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Nigerians to expect the return of numerous politicians who have departed from the party in recent years to pursue affiliations with other political entities.

The Forum characterized the PDP as the most broadly accepted, well-structured, and optimally positioned political organization to tackle the challenges facing the nation.

This declaration was made on Friday following a meeting with the PDP minority leadership in the House of Representatives at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

Attendees of the meeting included House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, Minority Whip, Ali Isa, the Forum’s Chairman and member of the 10th House of Representatives, Inuwa Garba, and the Forum’s Secretary Williams Edor.

Additional participants comprised Bakitta Bello, Friday Itulah, Kwamoti Laori, and Ndanusa Hassan.

In remarks to the press after the meeting, Garba referred to certain defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as unlawful, expressing optimism that those who have left the PDP will soon make their return.

He said, “We believe some of these defections are illegal as they constitute constitutional breaches. Some politicians do not consider what affects their people or the nation; they focus only on personal interests.

“You cannot stop some individuals from switching political parties. However, very soon, you will witness a wave of defections back to the PDP because Nigerians are now better informed and aware of what is best for them and the nation.

“One person out of a thousand from a constituency may choose to leave the party for personal gain, but the voters he abandoned know what is good for them and what they stand for.”

Garba further stated that any politician in Nigeria with credibility today was, at some point, groomed by the PDP.

“Any politician you see as credible today was nurtured by the PDP, a party that remains the most widely spread in Africa,” he added, accusing the ruling party of attempting to disrupt the political process.

“It will not work. You may do as you please at a given time, but you cannot always have your way.”

In the course of the meeting, the Forum emphasized the importance of party members maintaining their resolve and solidarity amidst the prevailing challenges confronting the nation.

Additionally, it encouraged PDP members and leaders at every level to trust in the current initiatives aimed at fortifying and unifying the party.

Recently, the PDP experienced the departure of Senator Ned Nwoko and House of Representatives member Amos Magaji to the APC, prompting political analysts to express concerns regarding the opposition’s prospects of displacing the ruling party in 2027.