Defections: PDP Not In Coma; Focus On Nov Convention- Spokesman

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is not in coma despite a series of defections from the party, Debo Ologunagba its National Publicity Secretary, has declared.

The PDP spokesman spoke few hours after Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu state defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. The governor had cited the crisis plaguing the PDP and need to bring his people close to Abuja, Nigeria’s Presidency as reason for his action.

Not a few analysts insist that the PDP problem has been worsened by the defections of its high profile members, including state governors who are dumping the party in their numbers.

Before Governor Mbah’s defection on Tuesday, two other governors, Sheriff Obovrewori and Umo Eno had earlier dumped the embattled party amid suggestions in the nation’s political circles that two or more governors are set to defect in a  matter of weeks.

Governor Mbah’s defection has also left the PDP with only 10 governors while the APC now controls 25 states, where governors from the party are in firm control.

Ologunagba, while reacting on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’ said the PDP may be down at the moment but not dead, saying the party’s strength rests among Nigerians who still believe in it.

He stressed that the PDP will overcome its current crisis which he blamed on some external forces, who are bent on destroying the major opposition party in the country ahead the 2027 elections.

He explained that the defections are not based on principle but on personal aggrandizement ,inducement and intimidation of its members by the ruling APC to weaken the party.

According to him,  “The PDP is not in coma, it’s not in a vegetative state, yes we have challenges, some of which are external, more damages are the ones within but again, we are working that rope surely towards convention.”

“What we see today, people are not defecting because of policies, programme of ideology. People are defecting because of personal interest, inducement, intimidation and coercion.”

Recall that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had earlier in the year said the PDP is a sinking ship, saying he should not be blamed for its current crisis.